From Snow to Mistletoe
by imaginary-witness
Summary: Levi, a young journalist who has never experienced a white Christmas and is feeling at odds with his peer group after his recent breakup, is sent on a work related trip where he gets to experience his first snowfall, Christmas traditions, and even a little Christmas magic. (Holiday)
1. Chapter 1

Title: From Snow to Mistletoe  
Author: imaginary_witness  
Pairings: Eruri  
Ratings: T  
Warnings: None  
Genre: Alt. Universe, Romance, Holiday.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story: living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

Author's Notes: Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all my readers. Happy Birthday to Levi, as well.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: MONDAY - DECEMBER 20th**

The holidays were clearly right around the corner. Everywhere in the city of Bakersfield, California, multicoloured lights were strung up, artificial trees decorated every store, and images of Santa Clause and his friends seemingly popped up overnight. Every store in the city had extended their shopping hours to accommodate any potential customers looking to spend money and every person seemed to be lost in the holiday blur of shopping, wrapping, or cooking.

Even at the local news station, holiday plants had sprung up in baskets and red bows took over every hook they could be found to hang from. Many of the writers, journalists, and reporters had already been eagerly tidying up their offices and packing up what little they might need to take home with them for their holiday getaways. Levi sat at his desk, watching his colleagues seemingly scramble around, trying to get their work done on time while also jumping with the holiday jitters. He laughed softly to himself and shook his head, clearly unaffected by the holiday bug. While he wasn't in a bah-humbug mood about the festive feeling, Levi was not looking forwards to the holidays. As a twenty-five year old, shorter-than-average man, Levi didn't not find the idea of going out to a club or bar as exciting as he once did, and yet he didn't have any surviving social circle that would provide him with an invitation to an event that wasn't centred on couples.

He had no family to spend the holidays with and no friends he felt comfortable enough with to impose himself on. He had recently broken up with his boyfriend, Flagon, three weeks ago and was still feeling proud of himself for successfully parting ways without feeling bitter or regretful about their separation. And while he did enjoy the holidays, and what feelings of renewed joy and hope they brought him, he was not looking forwards to spending time in his one-bedroom apartment alone. He hadn't even been able to bring himself to set up the four-foot artificial tree he put up every year.

A sandy-haired man leaned on the wall of his cubicle and greeted him with a warm "Merry Christmas, Levi." The man's greeting broke into his thoughts and Levi sat back in his desk chair to look up at his co-worker.

"Hello Furlan," He greeted him, "You seem excited for the holidays."

Furlan smiled widely and nodded. "I'm going to visit my girlfriend's family in Alaska this year." He smiled, "We're leaving tomorrow. Can you believe it, Levi? I'll get to see real snow!"

Levi chuckled, glad for his friend. Furlan and him had gone to the same post-secondary, having met in their freshman year. They were senior students when they met then-freshman Isabella Magnolia and they provided her references when she applied to the same studio they were all currently employed at all. While Furlan and Levi hadn't made it to the same news station right away, they had both managed to find employment here a year or so before Isabella. And despite working for a news station in Bakersfield, their job still provided them with some form of entertainment, which was more than they could say for their past jobs in their otherwise boring, repetitive city.

"That sounds exciting, Furlan!" He agreed, "Imagine that, huh?"

Furlan nodded. "And I got exciting news for you too!" He grinned at Levi, "Rumour is you're going to be sent out for the holidays. Zackly has a job for you."

Levi's eyes widened and he leaned forwards towards Furlan. "Are you- are you serious?" He asked.

Furlan shrugged, glad to see the news excite his friend. "Rumour has it." He repeated, then ducked away from Levi's cubicle before he could be caught standing around and chatting.

Levi leaned back in his chair again, tapping the ends of his arm rests with his hands. To get away from Bakersfield for the holidays was a welcomed treat, even better since it would be on the company's dime. It was also something that he felt was a perfect balance for where he was at in his life right now: it wasn't so juvenile that he would feel as though he was the oldest in the room, but it wasn't so adult that he would feel overshadowed by his mentors. A work trip sounded just like the kind of thing a young man his age would agree to do, and it would most likely pay round-the-clock overtime. Overall, it sounded to him like a Christmas miracle.

Levi tried not to let himself get too carried away with the idea. Furlan had said it was only a rumour, and it was only eleven in the morning; if he was going to be called to Zackly's office for a work trip, he wouldn't be called until later in the day when his boss had his eight cups of coffee and taken his routine shit. Levi tried his best to keep from jittering in his seat, now also affected by the pre-holiday spirit. He began to wonder where in the country Zackly would send him and what kind of assignment he would be sending him on so close to the holidays.

He forced himself to focus on his current article. When he finished in length but found he couldn't force himself to focus enough on proof-reading it, he got up and headed to the water cooler. He leaned over Isabella's cubicle and spent a moment chatting with her about her holidays plans of flying back to Ireland to visit some family with her parents. She was excited about the opportunity to spend Christmas in an authentic cottage from the turn of the medieval ages. After joking with her about turn of the medieval toilets, Levi returned to his cubicle and forced himself to focus on proof-reading his article for the next hour. He was going to take a late lunch when Zackly large head appeared over the top of his cubicle wall; with his large grey beard, bushy white eyebrows, and half-moon, wire-rimmed spectacles, he resembled a very convincing portrait of Santa Claus himself.

"Ackerman," He greeted Levi, "Got a minute?"

Levi looked up and nodded, too excited to say anything. He got up from his desk, locked his computer with a quick keyboard command, and then followed his boss to the large office he had only been in twice before.

"Take a seat," Zackly offered him, closing the door behind Levi. The inside of his office was cluttered with papers, folders, and boxes. Despite the obviously amount of workplace essentials and an overwhelming amount of papers in his office, Zackly had still managed to pack as much Christmas cheer as he could into the large space: he had a full-sized six-foot Christmas tree fully decorated towering over his desk that Levi had to be careful not to pull his chair back into, and a banner of red ribbon wrapped around his desktop. His computer monitor had several red bows pasted on the corners and various ornaments hung from yarn strings from the ceiling. "Marshmallow?" Zackly offered him, motioning to the bowl in front of them on the desk.

"No thanks, sir." Levi replied.

Zackly shrugged, took one, and popped it into his mouth. Then he began to ignore Levi, beginning to search through his computer for something. After a moment when he was sure that Zackly had just decided to forget he was there, Levi cleared his throat. It intimidated him when Zackly's pupils rolled to the corner of his eyes to glance at Levi but the rest of his face didn't change.

"Um, sir?" Levi asked, "What was it you wanted to see me for?"

Zackly leaned back in his chair and popped another marshmallow into his mouth. His round belly looked like it was going to pop the buttons on his shirt for a moment, before he leaned forwards again, this time directly facing Levi rather than angling himself to read his computer monitor.

"Alright, Ackerman." Zackly stated, finally sounding like he was going to get to business. "I figured that you didn't have any holiday plans this year, given recent events."

Levi nodded, following Zacly's logic. "Well, you are correct, sir."

"Of course I am." Zackly replied, then smirked. He ate another marshmallow and then opened his desk drawer, pulling out a red vinyl envelope and dropping it on the desk in front of Levi. "That's why I'm sending you out for a field report. You're young, single, got no one to spend the holidays with. I don't feel any guilt tearing you away from home for the holidays and you're probably relieved for some kind of distraction."

Levi nodded, reaching out for the red envelope. "I am." He agreed, "Where are you sending me, sir, and what am I reporting on?" He had been bracing himself for anything involving war, famine, politics, or death, afraid that something of that calibre would be the image he would have to bring to the people of Bakersfield on Christmas day.

"Santa Claus, Indiana." Zackly replied, the sound of amusement in his voice, "To cover their holiday celebrations."

Levi had been opening the red vinyl envelope when Zackly replied, and he nearly dropped the envelope out of surprise. "I'm sorry, sir, but did you- did you just say 'Santa Claus?'" He asked.

"Indiana." Zackly nodded, "That's the place."

Levi's expression was one of puzzled confusion. "That's a… that's a real place?" He asked, "This isn't… a joke?"

"Oh, I'm not joking." Zackly grinned at him, "Check your ticket, it says it right there. Now you'll see you have two stops as layover, I'm sorry but that's the best we could do - you travelling at this time of year and all. And Levi, you'll have to rent a car to drive into town from Evansville Regional Airport; Santa Claus doesn't have their own. Small town of only two-two-thousand or so. So that's as close as we could get you by plane. There should be a credit card in there for the car and hotel; try to limit your spending if you can, easy on the room service and such, you know."

Levi listened to his boss talk as he glanced over the information on the flight ticket. "Sir?" Levi asked, reading over the directions to Santa Claus. "It says my flight departs at 4:35 this afternoon."

"Does it now?" Zackly asked, a laugh in his voice. "Well, then," He turned to face his computer monitoring and turned back just enough to inspect which marshmallow he wanted to eat next. "Then you better get packing."

Levi stood up and headed to the door, murmuring a "Yes sir" as thankfully as he could.

"Oh and Levi," Zackly called out to him, causing Levi to stop and turn in the doorway of his office. He tossed him a packet of mini-marshmallows and hot chocolate powder, "Merry Christmas!"

* * *

 **TUESDAY - DECEMBER 21st**

Levi was tired as he began the forty-seven mile drive east to Santa Claus. The Indiana air was chilly compared to what Levi was used to in Bakersfield, with the weather of his hometown never dropping to freezing. He could recall Christmases where he was able to wear a t-shirt outside and watch the fireworks. Here in Indiana, he was bundled up in a jacket, scarf, and beanie, and cranked up the heat in his rental car. He was glad to have picked up the scarf-hat-glove set at the airport when he landed, charging it to his company's credit card. It was a necessity, he figured, and he didn't even own any that he could have brought with himself. Still, seeing his hands in purple yarn with silver sparkles was an odd sight. He hadn't had much choice for colours at the airport, since the packs were targeted towards women, and he was sure he didn't want to be caught dead freezing in a baby-pink beanie.

He had gotten home from work yesterday just in time to throw his warmest clothes into a small suitcase and ransack his closet for his warmest jacket. Then he packed socks and dug his old boots out from the bottom of his closet. He made sure to throw away the contents of his fridge that would be spoiled by the time he returned in January, and then went throughout each room in his apartment to make sure that his windows were closed, his stove was shut off, and his electronics wouldn't be any issue in his absence. Then he packed his laptop, grabbed his phone, and dug out his passport from the small electronic safe he had purchased so he would stop misplacing it. Overall, he was anxious and all over the place, with no real strategy to plan for the sudden trip. He had called himself an Uber to take him to the airport and boarded his two-hour flight with only minutes to spare.

During his hour-long layover in Phoenix, Arizona, he set his voicemail message to a cheerful 'Sorry I missed your call, I'll ring you as soon as I can. Happy holidays from Santa Claus, Indiana," then texted Furlan and Isabella. He had grabbed a quick dinner of a toasted eggplant and avocado panini sandwich and a berry smoothie, then boarded his next flight to Chicago. He had been in the air for another three hours, passing the time by watching two movies, drinking black tea, and overall beginning to feel rather jet-legged. He landed in Chicago around half after midnight local time and felt disoriented to be in another time zone. Here he had another hour to do nothing, was beginning to feel tired, and spent most of the time gazing out the large picture-windows of the airport. He counted the planes coming in and out in an attempt to keep himself from falling asleep and wondered what the weather would be like in Evansville when he arrived.

He had been grateful to board a smaller plane that would take him to Evanesville by the end of the hour. He had begun to feel foolish for having taken the job assignment but knew that feeling mostly stemmed out of his travel fatigue. He was in the air for another hour, and then finally arrived in Indiana at quarter to four in the morning. The airport shops were still open, never shutting down to international travellers that were going to and from and needed to stop and eat or clean up with whatever supplies they needed to purchase. Here Levi had gathered himself, collected his bag, purchased some toiletries and the scarf-glove-beanie pack, then headed to the car rental.

It had been empty and quiet in the main lobby, with only one slim young man working here for the night. He took Levi's information, his company's information, an imprint of the company's credit card, and then led him to the parking lot where he gave him a choice of a Honda Civic or a Honda CR-V. Levi felt out of his element for either cars, missing his small and almost-ancient Toyota Corolla back home. He didn't like to drive much anyways, preferring to walk even when it was raining back home. But he knew it was stupid to attempt to walk from Evanesville to Santa Claus, and he figured since his company would cover him for a car it would be smart to take it. It beat taking a dirty, crowded bus. In the end he chose the SUV over the Civic, figuring that a larger car would be better protection and serve him better if he were to really enjoy the holidays in a small town like Santa Claus. He hadn't been sure what the weather would be, so he the larger vehicle would prove well for colder weathers that he wasn't experienced to driving in.

It was raining as he drove down the I-64. He was making good time as he headed towards Santa Claus. He wasn't sure that a town of approximately two-thousand people would have a large hotel or a hostel that he could check into at such an early hour. He had been preparing himself to sleep in his rental car when he drove into the town and the sight of it caused his jaw to drop in surprise. As he had continued down the I-64, the rain had begun to solidify into white fluff. As he took the exit for Santa Claus, he reduced his speed to under the normal limit, feeling the traction under his tires become weaker. Having never driven on roads this slippery, he turned his wipers on full and pumped his seat further up to be able to lean forwards and glance at the dark roads as he heard an unfamiliar crunching sound. The pavement glistened in the light of his headlights and he could see a fine layer of powdery white on the road, identifying it as the source of the crunching.

Levi pushed down the button to lower his power-window and then stuck his hand out, catching several of the flakes in his gloved hand.

"Wow." He breathed to himself, pulling his hand back into the window and watching between glances up at the road to see the white flakes melt into dark spots on his purple gloves. "So this is snow."

The unexpected snow had slowed him down, so it was after five in the morning when Levi arrived at the town of Santa Claus. He had raised his window back up to keep the warmth from leaving his car and the cold snow from splashing the left side of his face. He slowed down to less than five miles an hour to pass the sign informing him he was entering the town of Santa Claus, then picked up speed again to enter the city and look for a place to stay. He riffled through the travel papers Zackly had given him, unsure if he was going in the right direction. He had been glancing at the papers, trying to find a street name, when his tires lost traction with the road completely and began to skid. Unsure of what to do, having never driven in icy conditions, Levi panicked and slammed his foot down on the break pedal. With the tires locked up, his vehicle continued to slide. He turned the wheel sharply to the right and the vehicle eventually came to a stop as soon as the front of the SUV bumped into a large mound of snow piled up on the corner of the sidewalk.

Levi hugged the steering wheel, breathing deeply, trying to keep from panicking, and hoping the air bag wouldn't deploy. He wasn't sure if he had damaged the car, which was his immediate concern. As he began to calm himself down by focusing on his breathing, he became more aware of other, lesser important concerns. He was glad that no one would have been up at this hour to have witnessed his less-than-graceful entrance to their town, or worse, been hit by his out-of-control SUV. He was trying to think through what his next steps would be when a knock at his window caused him to jump and shout out of surprise.

Levi sat back in his seat and lowered the foggy window, breathing heavy as a result of being startled. He was met by a handsome, blonde man whose blue eyes were bright despite the darkness of the night around them.

"Are you alright?" The man was asking Levi, gazing into the car and then looking around to see if Levi was the only one in the vehicle.

"I- I- I think so." Levi replied.

"That was quite the slip you had." The man continued, moving away from the window to glance at the front end of the vehicle. "You're lucky this mound of snow was here to catch you, otherwise you might have ended up in Tony's dental office." He chuckled.

"I- I guess so." Levi replied. "I was… distracted." He admitted, "I'm looking for a hotel, or a bed and breakfast, or just… a place to stay."

"Oh!" The blonde replied. "Well, that might be tough around this time of year. Santa Claus gets a lot of tourists in December 'cause, well, the holidays, y'know? Um,"

Levi nodded, smiling at the man. There was something about the way he spoke, so cheerful and positively despite the fact that Levi had probably nearly driven him over, that left Levi in admiration of him. "Hey," Levi began, not finding the patience to wait for the blonde to continue their conversation, as he seemed hung up on an unspoken question. "Are you alright?" He asked, "I hope I didn't nearly run you down in my accident."

"Me?" The blonde asked, his hands in his jacket pockets. "Naw, no. I'm fine. I was salting the sidewalk, saw you from just down there."

"Salting the-" Levi turned to look at where the blonde was pointing, "At five in the morning?" He asked.

"Well, yeah. My business is just down there. I don't want anyone to slip on the ice on the sidewalks. I know it's early, but I open early. I think you actually hit a patch of black ice on the roadway that caused you to start to skid-"

"Black ice?" Levi asked, raising an eyebrow. "How is… ice black?"

The blonde chuckled softly. "You must be a tourist." He teased, then realized he was being too bold in talking to a stranger. "It's ice on the dark pavement, so it's hard to see. If you were looking for an address, then you might have missed it. You lose traction, car skids," The man shrugged and gave Levi an apologetic smile. "You slamming the brakes didn't help." He mumbled, "It's better to pump them, since you don't have ABS."

Levi watched the man speak with a look of surprised amusement on his face. He wasn't sure if he should be offended that the man was explaining how to drive to him or if he should be more concerned with the fact that he was still in a mound of snow. Overall, he was grateful for the handsome man's help, so he didn't say anything and only nodded.

The man gave Levi a grin. Then he waved a hand as if to dismiss his ramblings and continued their previous conversation. "Anyways, I think you're not far from the hotel, to be honest. It's just a few blocks northeast. I'm not sure if they'll have any rooms left, but they would know better than I do where else would. You just need to go about two blocks up and four or so west."

Levi nodded. "Oh, alright." He replied. He realized he didn't mind talking to the man, but he was probably beginning to weird the man out, just sitting in his snowbank-lodged SUV and staring at him talking through his open window. He turned his attention back to the windshield and put the vehicle into reverse. "Let me just… straighten out." He mumbled.

"Easy now." The blonde advised him, taking several steps back. "Just go easy on the gas pedal and let the car steer itself out. Then straighten out when you're back on the road."

"Right." Levi replied, nodding. He was nervous, more than usual since he was being watched, but he knew he had to get the car out of the snowbank as soon as he could. He carefully pressed down on the gas pedal, pushing down on it with just enough force to feel it dip down the smallest amount. The sip of gas to the engine began to roll the SUV backwards out of the snowbank at a slow and steady pace.

"Easy now." The man guided him, "Just a bit more, then just touch the breaks."

Levi followed his directions, letting the man guide him out of the snowbank. When he had brought the SUV to a complete stop, the blonde held up one hand and walked around to the front of the vehicle.

"What are you-" Levi called to him, afraid the vehicle would lose control again and run the man over.

"I'm just checking if you had any damage." The blonde replied, coming back to Levi's window. He leaned on the doorframe and smiled at Levi, "But really, not even a scratch. You are really lucky." He chuckled and pointed at the snowbank to show Levi the imprint the front of the vehicle had left in the snow. "But looks like you left some evidence." He teased him.

Levi groaned. "Oh man, I'm so embarrassed." He mumbled.

The blonde looked like he wanted to say something more, but he only took a small step back from the vehicle and pointed out the road ahead. "Just take that street left. Remember, two up, four over. Or somewhere close by. Watch out for more ice and snowbanks. I hope you get to where you're going safely."

Levi nodded, grateful for the man's words help. "Thank you. Really."

"No problem." The man replied, "And happy holidays! I hope you enjoy your stay here in Santa Claus."

Levi felt a warmth flood his cheeks and he nodded, waving at the man with one gloved hand. "Thank you," He replied, "You too!"

He gave his vehicle another sip of gas, letting it slowly crawl towards the intersection before he eased to a stop and then continued, turning left. He didn't break his view on the road ahead of him, keeping a watchful weary eye out for any more ice that might slip him up. If he had glanced in his rearview mirror, he might have noticed the handsome blonde man standing in the middle of the street, gazing after him with a smile on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

Ratings: T  
Warnings: None

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story: living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

Author's Notes: One year later and I'm finally updating/finishing this story. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all my readers, and a thank you for all of those that favourited/liked/shared/saved/followed this story for the past year. Happy Birthday to Levi, as well.

* * *

 **Chapter 2: WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 22nd **

It was just after six in the morning when Levi had found the hotel Zackly had given him directions for. The blonde had been correct in his direction of travel, but had miscalculated the amount of blocks Levi had to travel. Taking the drive slow to prevent another slippery accident, Levi had managed to pull into a decent sized parking lot and find a spot a short distance from the hotel's front doors. He took his bags and headed to the front lobby, pausing for a moment to inspect the front of the vehicle and then look up at the sky, amazed by the small white flakes falling down and landing on his face. He wrinkled his nose as the cold snow melted into water droplets on his face, feeling the water slip down his cheeks and along his neck into his shirt.

"Cold," He murmured to himself, then headed to the hotel.

To his surprise, there was still a clerk at the front desk; an elderly man with balding grey hair. He jumped up, appearing no taller than when he was sitting down, and grinned at Levi with genuine sincerity.

"Welcome to Santa Claus Hotel!" He greeted Levi, "Room for one, sir?"

"Yes, please." Levi replied, "I'm not sure if it would already be booked or not. I'm Levi Ackerman, I'm a journalist from Bakersfield-"

"Ahh, the Californian!" The man replied with a chuckle. "Yes, we have a room arranged for you - lucky too! This was our last available space in the main building. It was booked but the original client cancelled because their family flew in to visit them for Christmas - isn't that wonderful?"

"Yeah," Levi replied, taken by surprise by the man's jolly attitude so early in the morning. "That's sweet."

"Alright, Mr. Ackerman, I'll take you up to your room. I'll record that you checked in now, but you can come and do all the paperwork for the room in a little bit. I'm sure you're tired - you must've had quite the trip, all the way from the west coast."

"Yes," Levi sighed, relieved. "Thank you, I really appreciate that. I've been in and out of airports for the last… oh, nine or ten hours?"

"Dear, dear. That is exhausting." The man replied, stepping around the counter and taking Levi's bags. "I'll get these for you, son. I'm Thomas, by the way, I run the hotel with my wife, Amelia."

"Oh, thank you, Thomas. Nice to meet you." Levi replied, taking one of his bags and following the man to the elevators. "I'm surprised you're up so early."

"I'm usually awake all night during the holiday season." Thomas replied, hitting the button to call the elevator. Since it was early in the morning, the elevator opened immediately, having been docked at the main floor. "You're on floor four," He informed Levi as they entered the evaluator. "Our highest floor."

Thomas hit the button for the fourth floor on the side panel and let the golden doors close shut. "Nothing brings me more joy than the holidays, and seeing the snow falling out the front doors was just enchanting. I suppose I lost track of time, to be honest." He grinned sheepishly.

Levi chuckled. "The snow was enchanting, I agree. This was the first time I saw snow. It was a little unusual to drive in though, that's for sure."

"Oh!" Thomas chuckled as well, "Yes, I suppose it is a bit of a challenge for you. Be careful, the roads can get nasty when they get packed with snow. Tires press it down and it freezes into patches of ice. Some of the residents take to salting the sidewalks in front of their homes or businesses, and the town isn't so large that a car is a necessity, so sometimes it's actually quicker to walk."

The elevator doors opened and Thomas led Levi down the hall to room 402.

"I was planning on walking mostly." Levi replied, taking the hint from the old man's words as they headed down the crimson and gold-trimmed hallway. "But I suppose the best place to go first would be a shoe shop, I'm not sure if my boots are warm enough."

Thomas paused in front of the door to room 402 and looked down at Levi's feet. He chuckled, observing the fashionable, thin, studded boots. "Oh, no." He agreed, teasing Levi. "You're going to need some heavier socks, at least. Or you might freeze off a few toes."

Levi chuckled, his cheeks tainting pink with embarrassment. "Yeah."

"Alright, here we go." Thomas told Levi, putting the key into the door and turning it to unlock the room for him. "Now, on the bed, you'll find a set of new pajama's and some slippers; we're used to guests arriving for Christmas and not having anything warm enough to sleep in, so it's become complimentary for our holiday guests."

"Oh, that's so kind of you!" Levi replied, "It will be really nice to get my feet in something warm."

Thomas chuckled, stepping into the room ahead of Levi to turn on the lights and put his small suitcase down. "Bathroom is there, a bit of a lounge or uh, work station is there." He pointed out the areas. "Your room also has a balcony, so the door to that is just there, next to the bathroom. Alright, that will be all, I suppose. You can come down and sign the paper work later in the day, I imagine you're going to want to rest."

Levi chuckled and his cheeks became a soft pink again. "Yeah," He mumbled, "For an hour or so, maybe? I don't want to oversleep and lose too much of the day to explore. What time do the shops around here close?"

"Usually four, but around the holidays most extend their shopping hours to six." Thomas replied, "We understand most tourists coming in for the holidays come in from different timezones, so at least until tomorrow the hours are extended a bit. Gives the non-locals some grace time."

Levi nodded, "Yeah, that's… I'm feeling that." He replied. "I left for my flight right after work." He explained, suddenly realizing that he had been awake for over twenty-hour hours. "You know, I think I'll take your advice and sleep for a little bit." He mumbled.

Thomas smiled, "Rest up, Levi." He replied, "Amelia or myself will be downstairs when you're ready." The man nodded at him as he handed him the room key, before he left, closing the room door behind himself.

Levi smiled at the man until he left, then he took his shopping bags from the airport and placed them on the small table beside the bed. He sighed and looked around the room, then smiled to himself. He felt like he had just entered a winter snow globe. Despite being cold, he stripped off his clothes and took the hotel's white shower robe with himself to the bathroom. He took a quick shower, wanting to feel clean again after three flights and the two hours he spent in the rental car.

As he dried his hair with the air dryer, he recalled the handsome blonde man that had helped him. He was awake early and was salting the sidewalks, just as Thomas had mentioned some of the home and shop owners did. Levi wondered about him as he changed into the warm flannel pyjamas the hotel provided and snuggled into bed. The room was warm, the bed was warm, and now he was finally warm as well. Closing his eyes, he curled onto his side and buried his face into the pillow, intent to get some sleep before he would wake up and begin to focus on the traditional holiday festivities of Santa Claus, Indiana.

* * *

It was just before three in the afternoon when Levi woke up. He was surprised by how warm he was under the fluffy bedcovers, how soft and puffy they felt. He had been sent out of Bakersfield for journalism twice before, but none of the other hotels had been as pleasant an experience.

He pushed the blankets down from where he had pulled them up around his face to read the time on the clock beside the bed, then sat up with a soft sigh. Indiana was three hours ahead of Bakersfield, so Levi knew it was only noon for his friends back home. He decided to get up and officially check into the hotel, then go and buy a pair of warm boots so he could explore Santa Claus. He felt bad having to buy a pair of shoes just for this trip, but he figured he could donate them before he left or take them home with him, in case he ever traveled to somewhere snowy again. The town of Santa Claus was so enchanting that Levi wasn't sure if he would make it his own tradition to come back here for the holidays.

"Who knows?" He mumbled getting up and dressed.

Once he was ready for a day of adventure, Levi headed downstairs with his company's credit card, intending to find Thomas or Amelia downstairs to check in. He didn't want to leave the paperwork unfinished, in case he forgot to fill it out before he left. Thomas had been kind to him, and he didn't want to cause any problems for him in return.

The front desk was empty when Levi had come downstairs, so he ventured around the corner to see the rest of the ground floor of the hotel. He entered a small sitting room, furnished in a homely way with several overstuffed sofas and mahogany end tables. Opposite the entrance way was another doorway, large enough for French doors. The doors were open wide right now and through them Levi could see a large dining room, currently filled with other hotel guests. An elderly woman was walking between the tables, her grey hair tied in a neat bun on the top of her head, and she paused at each table and offered them some coffee from the large tin pitcher she held onto with a cooking mitten.

Levi stepped into the dining room and looked around, wondering if he could spot Thomas anywhere. As soon as the elderly lady saw him, she came over to greet him. "Mr. Ackerman, is it? Up in room 402?"

Levi nodded, "Yes. You must be-"

"Amelia." She nodded as well, her long gold earrings swaying beside her neck. "You met my husband, Thomas, last night."

"Yeah, I was wondering if I could find him - or you - and check in, properly, y'know? 'Cause he let me head up to the room last night right away- Which I'm thankful he did. I wanted to make sure I got all the proper paperwork done, since he was so kind to me and I don't want to forget about having them filed."

"Yeah, we were aware that you had quite a flight to get here." She replied with a soft, motherly smile. "Thomas is sleeping now, can you believe? But why don't you have some breakfast first - a late lunch rather - and then I can check you in afterwards."

"Oh." Levi replied, "Alright, that sounds good. Thank you, Amelia."

Levi followed her to a small table in the middle of the room, then took his seat.

"Coffee?" She asked him, lifting the pitcher.

Levi shook his head. "No, thank you. If it's not much trouble, do you have tea?"

"Not a coffee fan, are you?" She teased him, "What tea would you like then, we have black, green, or orange pekoe?"

"Black." Levi replied, "No cream or sugar."

Amelia nodded. "And would you like today's lunch special, which is a salmon sandwich, a Mediterranean-inspired vegetable soup, and a slice of homemade carrot cake?"

"Wow," Levi replied, "That sounds… that sounds really good. I'll definitely go with that."

"Alright then." Amelia smiled at him, "I'll be right back with your order."

"Thank you." Levi replied.

The moment Amelia left his side, he pulled out his cell phone and gazed around. Up until last year, he had been content to keep a basic flip phone, preferring the analogue buttons on the phone to text his friends with. While it was time-consuming, it allowed him to keep a cheap phone bill since he didn't include data on his plan. Also, it kept him from caring too much about his cell phone, which he didn't want to do when he was travelling for work.

But for Christmas last year, his friends had teamed up and bought him the latest model of iPhone, matching a gift from his uncle that was the latest MacBook computer. With these two products, he was able to work on files from his laptop while on his phone, an ability that he appreciated and enjoyed more than he anticipated he would. Now, as he gazed around the dinning room full of tourists that had come in to the small town of Santa Claus for Christmas, he began to type up notes on his phone for his article.

Amelia brought out his food and tea, informing him to take his time while eating before meeting her to check him in. Several people noted him looking around and typing between bites of his food, and some nodded and said hello. He began to speak to the diners around himself, explaining that he was a journalist and asking them what brought them in to the town for the holidays. Most people were open to speaking with him. Despite their indifference to his disclaimers, he promised he wouldn't use any names in his article and that he would get them a media release form to sign before he used their conversation as part of his article. He took notes on his phone between speaking to fellows diners and enjoying his lunch, even taking note that the homemade carrot cake was delicious, 'with just enough sweetness in it to match the holiday season.' Despite his original mood towards the season, he found it difficult to be unaffected by the jolly spirit of the season while in Santa Claus.

After lunch, Levi left his dishes at the table and headed back to the front lobby. He found Thomas here, looking through the desk drawers and mumbling to himself. "Hello Thomas," he greeted him, then apologized as the man jumped with surprise. "Didn't mean to startle you." He immediately explained.

"Oh, no," Thomas replied, "It's not you. I thought for a moment you might have been my wife, silly me. I'm looking for tape to wrap her Christmas gift, but I haven't found any. I think she hid the roll from me to wrap my gift - bless her - but I thought we would have some more. You'd think we would in such a large building, eh?"

Levi chuckled, "Yeah, that is strange." He agreed. "Could I pick some up for you then? I was going to head into town anyways, check things out and buy some boots."

Thomas chuckled, then leaned on the counter. "You know, that would be a mighty fine help, Levi." He replied, "I haven't seen a roll anywhere in the hotel, and believe me - I looked. Tell you what, I'll give you some cash from the register and you can pick up a pack of them for me? I might as well stock the place, you never know when one of the guests would need some too."

"Alright," Levi replied, "ill bring some back with me when I return. Could I check in now then, or should I do that when I bring the tape?"

Thomas's eyes widened and he threw his hands up in the air, turning to the computer. "Ah, right! Of course, of course! I'm getting so ahead of myself." He murmured. "Checking in, Mr. Ahh, Ackerman, there we are. Now I noted you arrived at just after six AM, but all the papers will be processed at this time. On your company credit card, yes, that's right, thank you."

Thomas filled out the digital file for Levi's stay, asking him details such as his birthday, then taking a copy of his driver's license, employee identification card, and an imprint of his company's credit card. When all was done and processed, he handed Levi a ten dollar bill from the cash register, "For the tape." He reminded him.

Levi nodded, taking the cash and putting it in his wallet, along with the rest of the cards he had given the hotel clerk to copy. "Any good shoe stores nearby?" He asked him again, "I just... don't want to risk driving." He mumbled.

Thomas chuckled. "Well, Hannes runs one just down the street from here. He's not too far away and always has reasonable prices. Just go out front and turn left, he's a block or two that way."

"Thanks." Levi replied, stepping away from the counter. He didn't usually find such cheery people like Thomas the kind of person he would enjoy associating with, often feeling exhausted having to emotionally keep up with them, but Thomas was different. He had a humbleness that Levi found refreshing.

Levi headed down the street towards Hanne's shoe store. After a block, his fashionable boots - the only pair he owned - had left his feet freezing. He was glad to have his purple gloves for his fingers and repositioned his scarf to cover his jaw as well. He spent half an hour with Hannes, a middle-aged blonde man with a crackling laugh, trying on various pairs of boots. He eventually purchased a pair of solid black snow boots from the children's section, having none of the adult male sizes be small enough for his feet. As an afterthought, Levi also purchased two packs of thicker, knee length socks before leaving the store, so that he would have six pairs to keep him warm. Hannes had cautioned him that more was 'always merrier,' based on the notion that he could change into warm, dry socks if he somehow wet the ones he was wearing.

Levi had Hannes pack his old boots into the box the snow boots came in so that he could wear the new, heavier boots out into town. He decided to take his shopping trip further, walking along the streets and gazing at the various items for sale in the windows. The streets were mostly shovelled and salted, and the crunch of the snow and salt under his new boots was a sound he had both found foreign and thrilling. All around him the town was bright, reflecting the dazzling sun from store windows and the bright piles of snow. Not many cars passed by, with many people preferring to walk on the streets. And everywhere was decorated for Christmas, with every lamppost adorned with big red bows and silver bells surrounding more store windows.

Levi passed a bookstore, a pet shop, a formal ballgown store, and several clothing stores, before he entered a town square. He looked around now, not sure if the town of Santa Claus even had a mall, then felt his stomach rumbled. All of the walking and shopping had made him hungry, so he decided to look for a place he could grab a snack and note down all the observations he had made for the town so far.

He decided to step into what appeared to be a quaint cafe, entering what he assumed to be a small but popular place. Instead, he was surprised by how large the cafe was inside, with a long counter extending towards the back on one side and large dine-in area beside it. Many people were seated all around the cafe, and the ambiance was jolly and warm. Levi looked down at the rubber doormat and stomped his boots lightly onto it, shaking most of the snow from his feet before he stepped further inside - it was a trick Hannes had taught him to keep from being glared at for bringing so much water into most stores.

A tall man behind the counter approached him and nodded, smiling at him warmly. He had shaggy, dirty-blonde hair that hung low in his face and a thick moustache. His beard was patchy and dark along his jaw and he resembled an excited hound-dog to Levi as he greeted him in a low pitched voice.

"Hello," Levi replied, "Um, do I just…" he motioned towards the dining area.

"Yeah, sit anywhere. Wherever you can find a table. I'll come over and take your order in a moment." The man smiled at him.

Levi bit his lower lip, finding the man to be slightly intimidating, which could have been true since he was over a head taller than Levi himself. Levi excused himself as he began to make his way through the cafe, spotting a small table for two in the back that was empty. He put his shopping bags down under the table and settled into his seat before shaking off his coat and taking off his beanie and gloves.

"No more accidents?" A familiar voice greeted him.

Levi turned around in his seat to find the blonde man from earlier in the morning sitting at the table just behind him. A brunette lady was seated with him, both holding steaming cups of coffee and sharing a plate of chocolate chip cookies.

"Hey!" Levi greeted the blonde, "It's you - my… small-town hero from this morning." He teased him, "Fancy running into you here."

Erwin chuckled and nodded, "I could say the same to you. But, honestly, it's usual to run into people at Zacharius'." He rolled his eyes, "I can't count the amount of times I run into her here." He motioned to the brunette. "Ahh, I should introduce you two, shouldn't I? Hanji, this is… um, who are you?" The blonde began to laugh.

Levi blushed and chuckled as well. "Levi Ackerman, journalist from Bakersfield, California." He introduced himself, holding out his hand for Erwin to shake.

Erwin took it and shook Levi's hand, then shifted in his seat to allow Hanji to shake Levi's hand as well. "Alright, Levi. I'm Erwin Smith. I'm the town's head pharmacist. I run the pharmacy just down the road, as you might recall." He teased him, "And this here is Hanji Zoe. She's my… assistant, of sorts." He chuckled, glancing at Hanji as he tried to find out how to accurately describe her. "She blows up my pharmacy more than she assists me." He explained.

"I do not." Hanji playfully glared at Erwin, "I'm a part-time researcher for further drugs that could assist in reducing pain for terminal patients." She explained, "And Erwin here doesn't seem to fully understand my research."

Levi laughed, "Oh, I see." He replied, "Well, I hope your research goes well."

"Thank you!" Hanji quipped.

"Please, pull up a chair. Join us!" Erwin replied, motioning for Levi to join their table.

Flattered, and grateful to be immediately brought into a circle of who could be consider friends in this town, Levi took his bags and chair joined Erwin and Hanji at their table.

"Thank you," He mumbled, settling in at their table. "I was just planning on writing down a few notes while I had a quick snack. I hope I'm not intruding or anything."

"No, no. Not at all." Erwin replied, his eyes never leaving Levi's face. "What brings you to Santa Claus, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Work." Levi replied with a shrug. Then turned his attention to the man from behind the counter who had wondered over to take his order. Now that he was out from behind the counter, the man appeared to tower over them all, wearing a long green apron and a stripped long-sleeve thermal shirt with the sleeves pushed back up his muscular forearms.

"Mikey," Erwin greeted him, patting the tall man's backside lightly. "This is Mike Zacharius," Erwin introduced him to Levi. "Mike, this is Levi, a journalist from… California?"

"Yeah." Levi confirmed.

"Oh." Mike replied, "You must not be used to the cold then." He teased Levi.

Levi blushed. "Not really, no."

"Explains your driving." Erwin teased him further.

Levi's cheeks highlighted pink and he rolled his eyes. "Mike, I'm actually kinda hungry so what sandwiches do you have?"

"Basically anything you want." Mike replied, pulling out a notepad and a pen from his apron pocket. "If we have the ingredients for it, we'll make you it."

"Oh." Levi replied, "Cool."

"How about you start off with bread; what kind would you prefer?"

"Whole wheat-"

"Grilled or toasted?"

"Grilled-"

"Protein?"

"Chicken?"

"Crispy, grilled, or deli?"

"Go with crispy-"

"Topped with?"

"Lettuce, tomatoe, pickles, and cheese. Red onions if it's not too much trouble."

"And condiments?"

"Margarine? No butter or mayo. Mustard and - if you have any - bar-b-q sauce."

Mike wrote it all down, then touched Levi's shoulder. "See? That wasn't so hard." He teased him. "What side would you like? We have fries, onion rings, muffins, salads, pastries-"

"Salad. Whatever is closest to a Garden." Levi replied.

Mike turned his attention to Erwin then. "Could I bring you two anything else? Besides cookies?" He asked.

"I'll have my usual sliders." Erwin replied.

"Whatever soup is on the boiler." Hanji replied, "A bread roll and… some more cookies." She grinned.

Mike chuckled and wrote it all down as well. "And to drink?" He asked.

"A pot of coffee?" Erwin asked, glancing at Levi.

Levi shook his head and smiled politely. "Tea, please. Black if you have it. Or water is fine."

"Must be a… Cali thing?" Mike teased him as reviewed his order, then nodded. "Alright, I'll be right back with all of that and a pot of coffee." He stated before leaving, weaving in and out of the tables to make it back behind the counter to pass their orders off to the workers in the kitchen.

"Mike's a friend of mine from as long back as I can remember." Erwin explained, "This is his family's business, he's been manning the front of house on his own for the past few years."

Levi nodded, feeling back for the tall man he had just met. "That's… that's impressive." He replied.

"Don't mention it." Hanji replied, shaking her head. Her ponytail swung behind her like a lazy waterfall.

"So where were we?" Erwin asked, then offered Levi one of the last cookies from their plate. "Ah, yes. What brought you to Santa Claus?" He repeated his original question.

Levi sighed but smiled. "Well, work." He repeated, then shrugged. He accepted a cookie and took a small bite of it, so small the piece he bit off was barely big enough to chew. "I was given this assignment to observe a tradition American Christmas for my community newspaper. Bakersfield is quite large, with nearly four-hundred thousand residents, but it's usually warm year-round. We never really have snow, so my boss thought that it would be nice to feature such a festive town for the holidays."

"So he sent you out to the boons to observe how we celebrate and write about it for the city-folk back home?" Hanji asked, then laughed. "I'm glad to know that someone out there would think this boring old place is interesting."

"You say it's boring but you're still here." Erwin teased her, before sipping his coffee.

Hanji laughed. "True." She replied, "Still."

"I thought lots of people found this town interesting around the holidays." Levi cut into their friendly banter. "Don't you have a lot of tourists coming in?"

"We do." Erwin sighed, swirling the remainder of his coffee around the base of his cup. "But we don't feel so featured by that. They come to join as part of the festivities, not really document them and share them with others."

Levi cringed, the way Erwin made his job sound was almost rude on his own part. "Well, it's not like I'm describing it in a bad way." He tried to defend himself, "It's more like I'm describing it in a way that would showcase difference and uniqueness."

Erwin chuckled, feeling bad for making Levi feel slighted. "Oh, no. I'm sorry, Levi. I didn't mean to say that you were putting us out on display as a bad thing. I just meant to say that it's more of an honour that you would be sent here to feature us in a newspaper rather than just travelled as part of the usual holiday tourists."

"Oh." Levi replied, "That makes sense."

Hanji opened her mouth to speak but then closed it again as she caught sight of something over Erwin's shoulder, towards the front of the cafe. She stood up and then finished her coffee, before putting the cup down on the table. "I'm sorry to have to suddenly leave, but the courier with my research samples just drove by and I need to go meet him at the pharmacy." She picked up her jacket and tossed a ten dollar bill down on the table to cover her charge. Levi watched her head up to the counter to tell Mike to bring her soup to her in a to-go cup, then took the cup and left the cafe.

Levi watched her leave before turning his attention back to Erwin. "Is she usually so sporadic?" He asked.

Erwin chuckled quietly, still staring at his coffee cup. "She is." He replied, "She's hard to keep up with sometimes but she's one hell of a damned good assistant. She's passionate about medicine, genuinely cares about the field. That's hard to find in a worker these days, especially in a town so small. I can see why Mike's having such a hard time."

"Mike's looking for assistants?" Levi asked.

Erwin nodded. "To run the front of the shop so he could help the kitchen staff." He explained.

"And with it being the holidays and all." Levi replied, nodding. "I can see how difficult that would be, and then you have all the tourists coming in and making it… much worse."

"Yeah." Erwin nodded, then sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm giving you all the downsides about Santa Claus, aren't I? You're supposed to be covering all the celebrations-"

"No, no. It's fine." Levi replied, "It gives me a different perspective, that's all. I won't use names or anything information without having any sources sign a release form, but it's good to know how the celebrations also affect the town."

"I suppose." Erwin replied. He fell silent as Mike approached them again, bringing Levi's sandwich and salad, Erwin's plate of sliders, and the plate of cookies Hanji had paid for and left for them as a treat. Then he left and returned with a small tray with all the necessities for Levi to make himself tea to his liking and refilled Erwin's cup of coffee. The two men at the table thanked him and Mike only had time to smile at them before he was called to another table to refill their coffee as well.

"If you don't mind me asking," Erwin continued, "What made you accept a work assignment over the holidays? Don't you have any celebrations you'd rather be doing yourself?"

Levi tried to smile but the expression didn't reach his eyes. "Actually, I wanted to go." He replied. "It wasn't exactly a good year for me, so I thought that it would be nice to get away for the holidays."

Erwin nodded and pressed his lips together in a tight line. "That's… a shame. That you had a… less than fortune year." He sighed, "I suppose it's a Christmas miracle that you got away for a bit."

Levi smiled, amused that Erwin had said the same thing he had thought about the work assignment. "Yeah, it… kinda is." He agreed.

"I had a… bit of a difficult year myself." Erwin replied, "I wasn't even thinking of setting up a tree this year."

Levi's eyes widened with surprise and he blushed softly, embarrassed before he even asked, "Maybe we can set one up together?"

Erwin stared at Levi in surprise, his thick eyebrows rising in an expression of shock. "I'd… I'd like that, Levi." He smiled. "I… I would really like that."

The two smiled at each other for a brief moment, before they realized at the same time that they hadn't even touched their food since it arrived. They immediately began to eat, feeling a change in their atmosphere. Levi commented on how good the food was and Erwin agreed, then the pair descended into silence once more.

The air between them felt tense with attraction, but Levi was inclined to believe that he was simply creating the atmosphere in his mind, his thoughts beginning to focus on Erwin's seablue eyes and the soft curve of his full lips. He found himself watching which hand was the handsome man's dominant one, a notable thought he found he had on the men that he was beginning to find attractive. He was aware that he was beginning to crush on the man in front of him and felt responsible for the sexual tension that surrounded them, at least form his perspective.

They finished their food with minimal conversation, and then Erwin asked Levi what hotel he was staying at.

"Thomas and Amelia's." Levi replied.

"Ahh," Erwin replied, "Good people. Yeah, they have a good place. I was afraid they would be overbooked for the holidays and you'd have to head back towards the old bed-and-breakfast place further out. Nothing wrong with it, just that you'd be further out of the town."

"And you're afraid I'd have to drive in?" Levi teased him. "No, my boss had a room booked for me. I just couldn't find the building."

Erwin chuckled, "I'm glad I was able to assist you." He replied, "How are you liking the snow?"

"You know what," Levi replied with a grin, "It's not that bad. I stopped by Hanne's, on Thomas's suggestion, and I got myself some warm boots." He poked a foot out from under the table for Erwin to see and laugh at. "And I found walking on the salt is quite fun. Listening to it crunchy under my feet made me feel like a kid again."

"Well, you got the height for one." Erwin teased him.

Levi rolled his eyes. "That was uncalled for." He playfully defended himself.

Erwin only grinned smugly.

"Anyways, I think the snow is really growing on me. I want to build a snowman actually. Before I return to Bakersfield, y'know?"

Erwin laughed aloud at Levi's excited claim. "We could do that together too, if you'd like." He suggested, a smile gracing his full lips.

Levi blushed softly, his cheeks turning a pale rose colour. "I'd… like that a lot." He replied, then chuckled weakly. "Especially since… I really don't know how to build one." He confessed.

Erwin laughed again, then pulled out his wallet. He threw down enough cash to cover both their meals, then stood and held a hand out to Levi.

"C'mon," He laughed, "We're going to go remedy that right now."


	3. Chapter 3

Ratings: T  
Warnings: None

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story: living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

Author's Notes: Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all my readers! Happy Birthday to Levi, as well.

* * *

 **Chapter 3: WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 22nd - Evening**

Erwin had walked Levi to a small park four blocks away from Zacharius'. He walked slowly by the smaller man's side with his hands in his pockets, his gaze mostly looking down to watch the pathway for any patches of ice that had managed to form in between the salt. Levi had followed the blonde's example, taking extra care in his footsteps, to the point that they moved at a slower pace than usual. Erwin didn't mind; he found it oddly amusing to see the smaller man attempt to keep up with the locals.

They had spent the first half-hour at the park forming small balls of snow in their hands. Erwin showed Levi how to pack it tightly together firmly, without crushing the snowball into water. Levi took several pictures on his phone to document his progress, hoping that he would find a way to use the lesson in his article. He figured many of the residents in Bakersfield would find it amusing, even if they had travelled and seen snow for themselves before.

Erwin was patient with him but kept his distance. He only held Levi's hands once in an attempt to guide him on the correct amount of pressure to use. He noticed how the smaller man had gazed into his seablue eyes with an awed expression rather than watch his hands, so he hesitated to physically touch the smaller man again. He wasn't sure if Levi was comfortable with the physical contact, so he respected the journalist's space.

Levi didn't know how to feel about the blonde's sudden step back. He had felt good when the taller man held his purple-clad hands. He had felt a flush of warmth and acceptance that he hadn't felt in a long time and it had rekindled the rush of life in him. The overwhelming feeling had left with Erwin's hands, and Levi was unsure if he could address it with the pharmacist. He didn't want to flirt with the man as he was technically working, but he could already feel the first sparks of interest building within him. He was beginning to crush. Fast.

As if Erwin could sense this, he had quickly changed their activity, increasing the difficulty on Levi fast so as to keep the dark-haired man thinking fast about the snow and distracted from any personal feelings. He squatted down with Levi beside him and began to guide him in packing a larger amount of snow together to form a larger snowball.

"This is our base," he had informed Levi. "Eventually it's going to grow so large that we can only roll it. But for now, we drag the snow over to it and pack it tightly. It should be about the size of a head before we start to roll it."

"A human head?" Levi had asked, amused but curious. "Because a snowman's head is a different proportion… so I'm told."

Erwin had grinned and chuckled softly. "Yes, a human head. About this size." He motioned to the small ball of snow about the size of a watermelon. "Now we roll."

The park had steadily emptied of families as Erwin and Levi had continued to build their snowman. As the evening descended around them, the darkening sky and dropping temperatures was enough to draw many inside the warmth and welcome of local restaurants or return to their hotels or residences. By the time they had rolled the snowman's midsection, they had the park to themselves.

"How are we going to get this part up there?" Levi asked, motioning to the snowball they had just rolled. It was the size of a small exercise ball, yet still slightly smaller than the large base they had made for the snowman's feet.

"We are going to lift it." Erwin grinned. "This is the tricky part, and - to be honest - this is probably why snowmen get smaller as they grow taller."

He smirked at Levi's shocked expression. "What did you think?" He raised a thick eyebrow. "How else would it get up there?"

"I thought there would be a way to roll it up there." Levi confessed, a soft blush crossing his cheeks that was visible even in the darkness around them.

Erwin laughed aloud. The sound resonated off the other snowman and bare-branched trees around them. "Ahh, that would be horrible." He finally stated. "That would ruin the bottom we worked so hard on. C'mon, give me a hand. I'll show you how you lift these suckers."

Erwin rolled the snowball as close to the front of the snowman as he could, then came to stand in front of the second snowball. He looked to Levi as if to make sure he had the smaller man's attention, then he squatted down again so that he was able to get his arms around the snowball.

"You want to make sure you can do this cleanly, in one quick action. But without throwing out your back. Snow can be heavy when it's packed together, even though it's a soft form of ice."

Levi nodded, listening to the blonde and debating taking his picture. "Apparently snow if full of contradictions." He mumbled, "Soft but hard, solid but liquid." He shrugged. "It's magical."

Erwin chuckled, then flexed his fingers. "Alright, watch closely, because you're going to put on the head." He teased. "You grab the snowball in a firm grip and roll it towards your chest. You don't want to squeeze or you can split the packing we just did, but you want to shift the ball to rest against you. Then use your knees to stand up, so you don't hurt your back, lift with your legs and then use your torso to guide the snowball onto the larger bottom."

Erwin narrated his actions as he lifted the snowball up and onto the base of the snowman. Levi applauded when the blonde had placed the second snowball.

"Now, before we make the head, get some snow and pack it in the crease between these two, so that the second one won't roll off." Erwin directed Levi.

The smaller man grinned and began to pat snow into the crease, making sure to smooth out the inverted curve so that the snowman kept his tri-bubbled form.

Erwin stepped back and watched Levi work with a feeling of pride for the young man. He was surprised by how into the activity Levi had gotten, and the amount of happiness in the smaller man's eyes made Erwin wonder how unhappy Levi had been recently. The fact that he was overjoyed to be making a snowman with a complete stranger miles away from home worried Erwin, although he was glad to have been able to give Levi the experience.

Levi wondered a short distance away to locate some more untouched snow. He squatted down and began pack it together into a ball to roll the snowman's head.

Erwin bit his lower lip, then checked his watch. Hanji would have closed his pharmacy down half an hour ago, or so he liked to think. He had no urgent plans that would cause him to rush home, but he wondered if Levi would have to be getting back any time soon.

"What are we going to use for his nose?" Levi asked, his question breaking through Erwin's musing.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Erwin asked, shaking his head.

"His nose." Levi repeated. "Shouldn't it be a carrot?"

"Oh, yeah. Traditionally yes. Some people here use sticks or stones, since the carrots draw too many animals sometimes." Erwin explained, "We don't have a carrot, so we can find a good stick or something. Maybe a pinecone?"

Levi chuckled, "Alright, so we have to find the right stones for the eyes, mouth, and buttons, and a pinecone for the nose."

"And branches for the arms." Erwin reminded Levi. "A proper snowman always has some good, strong arms."

Levi laughed. "Right!" He agreed, "I can't believe I forgot the arms."

"You're excused." Erwin teased Levi. "You keep up with the head. I'll look for the sticks and pinecone."

Levi agreed and began to roll the head. Erwin headed towards the bare trees, hoping that he could find enough sturdy branches and a few decently-sized stones to classify as worthy snowman decorations. When he returned with branches and pebbles that would meet their requirement, he was surprised to find Levi had rolled the head the same size as the midsection and was staring at it bewilderment.

The blonde laughed and set down their snowman decorations. "You rolled it too big." He stated with a smirk.

"I didn't realize how big it had gotten until I rolled it up to the snowman like you said to." Levi confessed. "Now I'm not sure if I can break it down and still have it keep its shape."

"Sure you can." Erwin replied, "It just sucks." He squatted down once more and began to rub the snowball, keeping a rough amount of pressure against the snowball. The snow flaked off in large handfuls, but the snowball kept its shape under Erwin's smoothing rubs.

"Aren't your hands cold?" Levi asked, rubbing his own together.

"My gloves are waterproof." Erwin stated, then looked to Levi with a sheepish smile. "I assume yours aren't?"

"No," Levi replied, "Mine are soaked. I think they're made of yarn."

Erwin frowned. "I should have asked when we started. You must be freezing."

"A little." Levi admitted, and it was obvious now that he was hiding his shivers. He sniffed and looked away. "My jeans are thin." He mumbled.

Erwin lifted the smaller snowman head and placed it on the snowman. He used some of the snow he had shaved off with his hands to pack the head properly onto the midsection.

"I'm not surprised." He replied. "In the colder weather here, some of the residents even wear leggings under their jeans. And we're out here at night. I should get you back to your hotel so you can warm up."

"Not yet." Levi protested with a pout. "We're nearly done our snowman."

Erwin chuckled. "Fine, we'll finish the snowman. But then I'm making sure you get back to your hotel and have some soup or hot chocolate. You need to warm up or you'll catch more than a cold."

Levi frowned. "Alright." He agreed. He picked up the branches Erwin had brought and jammed them into each side of the snowman's midsection. "His arms are done." He grinned proudly.

"Alright, I'll do his face." Erwin replied, smiling at Levi. "It's a little trickier than his arms."

Levi stood back and watched Erwin gently press the stones into the snowman's face, then add the pinecone for his nose. He clapped his hands as Erwin stepped back, proud of their snowman that resembled the ones he would see on the Hallmark holiday cards he received.

"He looks perfect!" He exclaimed, "I need to take a picture of this!"

Erwin chuckled and stepped out of the photo so that Levi could have one of just the snowman. He was surprised when Levi waved him to move back beside the snowman. "One for just me." Levi informed him, "I want to take a selfie with the two of you."

Erwin couldn't help but smile, watching Levi change to the front-facing camera and hold the phone out. The bright flash illuminated them in the dark snow for a moment and the moment was saved on digital memory for good.

"Alright," Erwin announced, "Say goodbye to our snowman. It's time to get you back to your hotel."

Levi nodded. He was reluctant to leave but knew it was too cold to stay. Everywhere had closed except the restaurants and he knew it wasn't smart to stay out in wet clothing when he could risk getting pneumonia for being careless.

"You're right." He replied, then his eyes widened and his jaw dropped open with a sigh of disappointed realization. "I forgot to pick up the tape for Thomas." He explained, "He needed some to wrap Amelia's gift and I offered to pick some up for him when I left the hotel."

Erwin nodded. "We can stop by my pharmacy and grab a roll." He offered, "It's probably the only place that we can get some at this time of night anyways."

"Could we?!" Levi asked, "Oh that would be a lifesaver! I would really hate to return empty-handed after he was so kind to me. He let me sleep first and then checked me in later, which I really appreciated."

Erwin chuckled, "Cmon then, let's go." He motioned for Levi to come to his side and draped an arm around the smaller man to help keep him warm. "If Hanji's still there we can see if she could give us a ride back to the hotel."

* * *

The lights in the main building of the pharmacy were turned off and the metal gates were pulled across the doors and windows, indicating the place was shut down for the night. However, after they had entered the pharmacy, the light at the back of the building was visible and Erwin mumbled Hanji's name under his breath.

"Still tinkering with those samples from the courier?" He asked, leading Levi towards the back.

"What brought you in?" Hanji replied from wherever she was. "I thought you had gone home after you didn't return."

Erwin chuckled. "I took Levi to the park to build a snowman." He explained, then instantly regretted it. His smile had dropped and he looked as though he stepped on a landmine.

Hanji appeared around a doorway, her eyes wide with opportunity. She grinned and began to whine. "You never take me to build a snowman. And it doesn't even have to be a snowma-"

"Levi's never build one before, Hanji." Erwin stated, cutting off her sing-song teasing. "He offered to buy Thomas some tape but the stores all closed before we could get any."

"Because you were out building your snowman." Hanji smirked, clearly not wanting to let go of the fact that she could tease Erwin about the snowman.

"Yes," Erwin replied, closing his eyes and nodding. "Because we were building the snowman."

Levi chuckled, finding the two's banter amusing.

"I told Levi we could grab some from here. And, if you were around, maybe we could bum a ride from you."

Hanji laughed aloud. "Hah! Because I'm the only lunatic that drives in this town during this time of year!"

Levi blushed, hoping Erwin wouldn't bring up his accident again.

Thankfully, the blonde didn't. He laughed as well, then shrugged. "We'll I don't live too far away. Thomas and Amelia's, however, is too far for me to want to walk Levi back, since he's already freezing."

"And it's dark." Hanji agreed, "It's definitely not safe. Especially with all the tourists that came in and are sliding all of the place. Snow is dangerous and they come in thinking it's just going to be as pretty as their Christmas cards."

Levi's cheeks turned crimson and he looked away. Erwin laughed and turned to grin at Levi. "Yeah, those tourists make it dangerous to walk at night." He repeated.

Levi groaned softly, hoping the pair would ease up on him for his earlier mistake.

"S'alright." Hanji stated, then closed the file she had been writing her notes in. "I was just wrapping up in here for the night anyhow. I'll head round back and warm up my car. Grab the tape and meet me out there in a few minutes."

Erwin nodded. "Thanks Hanji." He replied, then turned and smiled at Levi. "Let's get that tape."

The pharmacist led Levi back towards the storefront, then down an isle to the side of the store that held various holiday essentials. He picked up a four-pack of Scotch tape, then led Levi back to the cash register and keyed it into operation. He scanned the tape, then discounted it to an employee's rate, before informing Levi of the price.

"Thomas gave me the money for the tape," Levi began, "So you don't have to discount it-"

"Business discount then," Erwin waved a hand, "Besides, it's alright. It's Christmas time after all."

Levi nodded, surprised by the constant kindness of all of the locals. "Thank you," He replied, "That's very kind of you."

Erwin only smiled and took the ten dollar note the smaller man gave him. He handed Levi his change and put the pack of tape in a small plastic bag.

Levi took the bag and added the change to it, intent to give the entire thing to Thomas when he returned.

"It was kind of Hanji to give us time to get the tape as well." He continued.

Erwin laughed. "Well, she does have to warm up the car." He shrugged. In the blonde's opinion, Hanji was far from kind, even around the holidays. It wasn't that the brunette didn't have good intentions, it was just that her rushed, spontaneous ideas often overlooked general kindness and other people's feelings.

Levi gave Erwin a puzzled look. "Is her car that old?" He asked.

Erwin burst out laughing and then rubbed Levi's back as he took a moment to recompose himself. "Oh, Levi!" He chuckled, "No. Her car's a new Nissan Explorer. But in the snow, you have to scrape the ice off the windows and defrost everything."

"Scrape" Levi repeated, "Well, okay. I forgot about the defrosting but now that you mention it I recall the driving book did mention it."

Erwin laughed. "And let me guess, you never used it?"

Levi shook his head. "Never. I have spent the last few Christmases at the beach in shorts and a tshirt. Snow has honestly never been a worry for me before."

Erwin's eyes widened and he shook his head in disbelief. "I could not imagine Christmas without snow." He replied.

Levi only smiled. He wanted to tell Erwin that he couldn't imagine Christmas without snow anymore either, but he didn't want to appear as though he was simply agreeing with the handsome blonde. He held his tongue and motioned towards the back of the store. "We should find Hanji then. Maybe I can see the car scraping in action?"

"That's a great idea!" Erwin agreed, then led Levi once more towards the back of the pharmacy. He turned off all the lights and turned on the alarm. Then he led Levi out the backdoor and into he lane. As they walked in silence, he tried to convince himself that Levi's smile after his comment on the Christmas snow was not one that harboured any secrets from him. The dark-haired man seemed to have wanted to say something in the moment that he paused and only stared into Erwin's seablue eyes with his own silver orbs, before he redirected them entirely.

Levi's chuckle broke through Erwin's thoughts and the blonde laughed as well, amused by Hanji's bizarre attempt to clear the ice from her vehicle with a broom.

"My ice scraper broke." Hanji replied, frowning. "Cheap plastic, useless-"

"Wait," Erwin replied, "Don't damage your car. I got an idea." He turned and headed back into the pharmacy.

Levi only smiled. "Is that common here?" He nodded to the broken ice scraper near the front wheel.

"No," Hanji laughed. "I'm surprised myself. It is old though. I think the plastic's bonds wore down overtime and it just had enough this year. Sorry to have to make you wait longer."

"No, it's alright." Levi replied, "I've been out later for work so this isn't anything too unbearable. It is cold though."

"Why don't you hop inside then? I have the engine on, the inside is warming up. Heater's on full."

"I want to see this though." Levi replied, shaking his head, "I never saw this before. I never had to do this in Bakersfield."

Hanji chuckled, "Suit yourself. But I'm worried you'll get sick in those wet clothes. Playing in the snow after dark can be dangerous."

"I'm almost dry." Levi replied, stretching out a leg to feel the fabric of his pants against his thigh. "I don't think it will be too bad."

"Take a hot shower when you get to the hotel." Erwin advised with a smile, walking by Levi carrying a steaming electric kettle. "Hot water does wonders to the cold. See." He poured the hot water onto the windshield of the car slowly, creating a hissing cloud of steam to rise up in the air around them.

"You're not suppose to really do this." Erwin explained, noticing the awed expression on Levi's face and the look of disapproval on Hanji's. "But we're in a pinch and it doesn't exactly hurt the car."

"Still, scraping is a better option."

"Or those new windshield mats."

Levi raised an eyebrow, amazed by how the conversation rolled on so easily about something as mundane as ways to remove ice from cars. The ease of the conversation made the small town of Santa Claus feel more like home in ways that Levi hadn't even been able to imagine.

"Wow - that's… I didn't know there was so many ways." He commented.

Hanji came to his side and ushered him towards the backseat. "Let's get you in now. It's warm inside and you saw the ice come off."

"Grandly at that." Erwin flashed a smile as he teased Levi.

Hanji raised an eyebrow to Erwin from behind her rectangular glasses. She wanted to call him out on his cheery, playful behaviour to Levi, but she didn't want to embarrass the journalist. She chose to narrow her eyes playfully at Erwin instead, attempting to convey her thoughts wordlessly to her boss.

Erwin blushed. He understood Hanji to be asking him what was going on between himself and the smaller man. He had only skipped part of his work day to play in the snow with him, and now he was helping him run errands and having her drive him home. He realized he was letting his heart guide him more than his mind, but he shrugged it off as part of the holiday season. He hadn't felt this connected to anyone in a long time and it felt good to be able to let down his guard and follow his heart, even if just for the holiday season.

Erwin returned the kettle to his office and locked up and then joined Hanji and Levi in the car. It was warm inside the large cabin and holiday songs played on the radio at a faint volume.

"He's with Amelia and Thomas." Erwin mentioned as Hanji put the vehicle in drive and let off the brake, allowing the car to roll forwards at a slow pace.

Levi watched how Hanji operated the vehicle, eager to learn how to drive in the snow to prevent repeating his first experience.

Erwin turned to grin at Levi, as if he could read his mind. "See, Hanji's taking it nice and slow." He commented.

Levi flushed. "I see." He replied.

"I feel like I'm missing something." Hanji cut in. "Did something- Oh!" She slowed her car as they were halfway down the street and pointed ahead of them. "Did he do that?!" She asked, motioning to the imprint of the SUV in the snowbank.

Levi turned bright red. "It's still there! But it snowed all day!"

Hanji howled with laughter.

"Not enough to hide the evidence of your crash." Erwin teased Levi. He turned to Hanji, "Yeah, that was him. How I met him actually."

Hanji chuckled, "Aw that's funny." She turned to Levi, "You know, it's alright. A lot of people do it really."

The heat faded moderately from Levi's face. "Yeah, I… I would hope so. But it's still embarrassing."

"You know a lot of people don't drive when the snow gets too heavy around here." Hanji continued, "Erwin doesn't."

"I don't." Erwin agreed. "Unless I really have to. But Santa Claus is also very small in comparison. You don't have to go too far to get what you need most of the time."

Hanji nodded. "Unless you're me. Anyways, we're here." She slowed her car in front of the doors to Thomas and Amelia's hotel and shifted the gears into park.

"Thank you, for the ride." Levi nodded to Hanji, then opened his door. "And thank you, for the snowman, and the tape. And the day really." He smiled at Erwin, then began to climb out of the car.

Erwin got out as well, closing Levi's door after him and holding his arms out in an silent invitation for a hug. "Thank you," He replied, then sighed in happiness as Levi embraced him. He hugged Levi for a moment, enjoying the feel of the smaller man against himself, then took a step back.

"When are we going to put up that Christmas tree?" Levi asked, surprising Erwin with the question. He was sad to part from the blonde but then he had realized they had made plans about the tree earlier at lunch.

"Oh! Right!" Erwin replied, then grinned. "I nearly forgot! Um, do you wanna- let's do it tomorrow!"

Levi grinned. "Alright then, tomorrow." He nodded, "Um, I'll meet you at the pharmacy-"

"No, I'll- I'll come pick you up." Erwin's cheeks turned a light shade of rose as he blushed. "We'll need the car to get the tree home and um, well, it's only fair that you get to see me drive in the snow since I saw you."

Levi chuckled. "Yeah," He agreed. "So, I'll wait here… at one?"

"One sounds good." Erwin replied, "We'll get the tree, decorate it, and um, have dinner at my place?"

Levi's lips curved into a shy smile. "Sounds perfect." He replied, "I'll see you at one." He stepped back and headed towards the doors to the hotel, then turned and waved once more at Erwin and Hanji before heading inside.

"Dinner at your place?" Hanji asked, raising another eyebrow as Erwin got back into her car.

"Well, I'm not going to kick him out after he helps me decorate the tree."

"That's nice but Erwin, don't you think you're… getting a little sentimental with him?" She teased.

Erwin shrugged. "It's the holidays, Hanji." He replied. "It's the time of year to let your guard down."


	4. Chapter 4

Ratings: T  
Warnings: None

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story: living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

Author's Notes: Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all my readers! Happy Birthday to Levi, as well.

* * *

 **Chapter 4: THURSDAY DECEMBER 23rd**

Levi woke up with a soft sigh. His blankets were warm and he was comfortable. He didn't want to get out of bed but the fact that he was meeting with Erwin later that day motivated him to get out of bed. He recalled how tired he realized he was when he arrived back to the hotel yesterday. Thomas had been at the front desk and eagerly approached Levi as he saw him enter.

"You've brought the tape! Oh thank you!" He greeted Levi, taking it from Levi as the smaller man held it out to him.

"Erwin helped me with it actually." Levi replied.

"The pharmacist? Oh, that's lovely!"

"Yeah, he, he actually took me to build a snowman at the park. So I lost track of time and we ended up having to get the tape from his pharmacy." Levi explained, then fell quiet as he realized he was babbling on.

"Oh, that's just- oh, that's… oh my boy." Thomas gave Levi a wavering smile. "I'm glad to hear that he's spending some time with nice folk like yourself, Levi. He's had a hard year. And he's such a kind, thoughtful person. He does so much for everyone when he can."

Levi blushed, nodding. "He is kind." He replied, smiling softly. He felt a rush of affection towards the tall, blonde man, then caught himself before the feelings could expand to anything more. "You said he's… had a hard year?"

"Yes, yes." Thomas nodded. "I shouldn't say much, it's not my place, but he's had family problems and all. We were worried that Christmas might be a hard time for him, but I'm glad to hear that you spend some time with him and he's doing alright."

"We planned to decorate his Christmas tree tomorrow." Levi told Thomas, hoping to ease the man's worries for Erwin.

"Are you really?! Oh, that's just- that's wonderful, Levi!" Thomas touched Levi's shoulder, then he frowned and squeezed it so he could measure how wet Levi was. "You're soaked, boy. You should go on up to your room and take a warm shower."

Levi blushed and nodded. He bade Thomas a good night and then headed to his room where he stripped off his clothing and had a shower before getting into bed.

"Well, we aren't going to be in the snow today." Levi smiled, looking through his suitcase to choose an outfit for tree trimming today. "I suppose something similar to yesterday would be fine. We'll spend most of our time inside anyways."

Levi headed downstairs when he was done getting dressed in a pair of grey jeans, a white tshirt, and a cozy black sweater. He had breakfast with the guests and Amelia, enjoying their company and their conversation. He had some of the guests he had spoken to yesterday sign waivers allowing him to use their interviews in his article for work. Then he glanced at the time and realized he had some time still until Erwin would meet him at one o'clock.

"Amelia," He approached the motherly lady. "I have a question."

"Ask away, love." Amelia smiled at Levi, pausing from brewing more coffee.

"Where's the closest shops here that sell… you know, stuff you'd find in a mall?"

Amelia laughed. "Well, there is the Kringle Mall. I'm not sure what you will find there. But there are also some great stores all around. I would recommend you drive around and see what catches your interest. We are no California, but the best part about Santa Claus is driving around and seeing what you find."

Levi sighed and nodded, then thanked her for her time. He took her advice and found himself talking himself through the slowest drive of his life, following Hanji's strategy of simply taking his foot off the brake and feeding the car a small sip of gas to get it moving.

While the word 'mall' had stood out to him, he decided to take Amelia's advice and forgo the venture to Kringle Mall. Instead, he drove around, heading as far from Erwin's pharmacy as he could, intent to find a place that sold nice things. He had passed stores with beautiful, warm sweaters in the windows, a place that sold crystal pieces, and several jewelry stores. But none of them had what he wanted in mind.

Levi had decided to go on this adventure to get the perfect gift for Erwin. He felt terrible that the kind blonde had been having a rough year, so he wanted to give Erwin something to cheer him up, thank him for his kindness, and celebrate the season with him. He hoped to find something to take with him and put under the tree they planned to decorate today, but as he drove around he realized that the town of Santa Claus wouldn't have what he wanted.

"He'd be able to get anything from this town. It wouldn't be special." He realized, turning around and heading back to the hotel.

Once back in his room, Levi booted up his laptop and opened his web browser. He went to his favourite retail outfitter's website and began to search for the perfect gift for Erwin. Despite the fast-approaching holiday date, Levi was determined to have a gift for Erwin for Christmas.

He frowned, discouraged when every website he visited disclaimed that gifts bought today onwards had no guarantee to arrive on time, even if he had purchased the extra shipping. He bit his lower lip, sitting back in his desk chair, before his eyes fell on the small clock in the corner of his computer screen.

"Shit!" He gasped, then got up and rushed to put on his jacket. He headed down the stairs, realizing he was late to meet Erwin, and hurried to the front door of the hotel.

Just as he was rushing out, someone was coming in and Levi collided right into him. "Fuck, sorry." He began, stepping back, only to realize he had walked right into the man he was looking for.

Erwin laughed and held Levi's shoulders. "Hey," He greeted him, "Are you alright?"

Levi blushed and sighed. "Fine." He smiled at Erwin, clearly embarrassed. "I was… I was coming out to meet you."

Erwin chuckled, throwing an arm around Levi's shoulders. "I was coming into find you, since I had waited ten minutes already."

"I lost… track of time." Levi replied, blushing. His eyes widened as he noticed the car Erwin was leading him to: a navy blue SUV with the rear window cracked in multiple places and dents in the rear bumper. "What, um, happened?" He asked, pointing out the damage with a purple-gloved hand.

"Oh, that." Erwin sighed, "Don't worry about that."

Levi nodded and climbed into the front passenger seat. "Alright." He replied, hoping he didn't upset the pharmacist. The damage didn't seem to have been caused by a car accident and the man didn't seem to want to talk about it, which only made Levi's worry grow. He said nothing, noticing that Erwin had the radio turned off as well.

"Um, would you like to listen to music?" Erwin asked, noticing Levi glance at the radio.

"I expected more Christmas music." Levi replied, giving Erwin a soft smile. "We don't need to if you don't want to-"

"I want to." Erwin replied, turning on the radio and setting it to the channel that Hanji had set in her car.

Levi said nothing as Erwin cautiously began to drive away from the hotel and in the direction that Levi had headed earlier. The blonde seemed to be stressed about something, his expression not as calm as he had been yesterday night, which bothered Levi.

"Are you alright, Erwin?" Levi asked, finally breaking the silence. "If you're not comfortable, we don't have to-"

"No, I want to." Erwin replied, cutting Levi off. He risked taking his eyes off the road to glance at Levi and give him a reassuring smile. "I… I know. I know." He looked back to the road, sighed, and turned the volume on the radio down, knowing he couldn't avoid the topic. "My ex called me this morning." He began, then glanced out of the corner of his eyes toward Levi. "And she wanted to come by today."

"Oh." Levi fell quiet. He wasn't prepared for this situation. The inside of the SUV suddenly felt much smaller. His heart beat faster and he wasn't entirely sure why he felt threatened by the mention of Erwin's ex.

"Yeah, she… She and I don't talk." Erwin continued. "Haven't since she… left. A little over a year ago."

"I see." Levi replied, still not sure what to say about the situation. He could feel himself slipping behind his professional journalist mask to keep himself from becoming too involved at a personal level.

Erwin didn't seem to notice Levi's hesitation in regards to the topic. "But I declined and well, we got into a bit of a fight. She's the one that… that did that to the back of my car." He nodded towards the rear, implying the damage to the back of the SUV. "Hit it with a lead pipe several times."

Levi's jaw dropped open in shock. "Um, wow! That… that must have been the town scandal."

"It really was." Erwin replied, snorting a single laugh. "You can imagine how fast that travelled in a town this size. Anyways, it was a long time ago. As I said yesterday, I barely drive. So I never really got around to fixing the damage."

Levi nodded. "I see."

"Can I ask you something?" Erwin began, changing the topic suddenly.

Levi was surprised by the intimacy of their conversation. "Sure," He replied, realizing that he wasn't concerned with their growth in trust towards each other.

"Why did you agree to come out here on a work assignment over Christmas?" Erwin asked, then peeked at Levi again. "I mean, out here, in a town of strangers, all alone for Christmas? You… you probably had the chance to say no, right?"

Levi sighed and looked out the window, admiring the snow-covered scenery before him. "Well," He began, then shifted in his seat. "I don't exactly have anyone to spend the holidays with anyways. My best friend is going to visit his parents out of town and I'm recently single again." He sighed, "And my uncle… he… he passed away this year." Levi's voice reflected the tremble he felt as he said the words out loud once again. He felt a wave of grief wash over him and forced himself to continue. "And he raised me since birth since my mother passed and my father was out of the picture. My uncle was sick for a long time, and it finally got the better of him in October. I don't have any other family so working over the holidays doesn't really bother me. I was actually looking forward to just… treating it as just another day."

Levi felt foolish for giving Erwin such a long answer. He cringed inwardly as he realized he had admitted to the blonde that he was recently single, a fact that in hindsight he felt he probably should have kept to himself after finding out Erwin was single and he had been feeling a steady growth of affection towards the pharmacist. But it was the truth as to why he had wanted to get away from Bakersfield for the holidays, so it wasn't as if he had lied to Erwin instead.

"I'm so sorry." Erwin replied, his voice full of compassion. "That is… harsh. This is going to be my first Christmas alone too; my father just passed away in November and… and my mum's been… for the last six years. So, I guess I can understand how lost you feel."

Levi's mouth dropped open in surprise and he reached out to place his hand on Erwin's shoulder. "My condolences." He replied, his voice soft and quiet. Erwin risked glancing at Levi and felt a wave of warmth at the touch of the smaller man's hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you." Erwin replied. "To be honest, I think that's why my ex called me. She never did like my dad and my dad never really liked her."

"Oh," Levi replied, then took his hand off Erwin's shoulder. "I see."

"We broke up nearly two years ago and she just… calls me now, out of the blue. I think she's just curious about the inheritance, which my father always warned me about."

Levi smirked, finding the situation to be rather dramatic. "It's unbelievable that the drama is the same, not matter if you live in the city or a small town."

"Yeah," Erwin agreed. "How about you? How did your relationship end?" He asked. He hurried to add, "If you don't mind me asking."

"Oh. Um, I don't mind." Levi replied, once again caught off guard by Erwin's questions.

"Are you sure?" Erwin replied, "I just… I figured that maybe you want to talk to someone about it. I know it helped me talk to Mike when I broke up with Maria."

Levi blushed, amazed by Erwin's kindness. "Well, I did talk to Furlan, my best friend, about it. My boyfriend-" He rolled his silver eyes and corrected himself, "My _ex-_ boyfriend was afraid of commitment. We went out to a Halloween party together, and I was still upset because my uncle passed away the week before, and so we were arguing because of all of this stupid shit that I felt didn't matter. I wanted to go dressed up in a couple costume, you know, like a police and a criminal or something. And Flagon, that's his name, he didn't want to go in a couple costume. He wanted to go dressed up as different things."

"I see." Erwin replied, then bit his lower lip. "It's stupid that he would have you go a week after your uncle passed. I mean, were you even alright with going?"

"Truthfully, no." Levi replied, then realized Erwin was right about discussing this with someone. He hadn't spoken to Furlan about it since the initial breakup, so he hadn't had the time to process his emotions before discussing them again. "I mean, he said that it would be a good way for me to ease back into my life and come to terms with Kenny's passing. But I just… I didn't want to be there and so, fighting over the costumes and then the food, and then people… it was too much."

"I can imagine it to be." Erwin agreed.

"And so we… we argued about it until Thanksgiving and then we said, that's it. We wanted two different things so we decided to part ways and that's that."

Erwin nodded. He pulled into a small parking lot beside a fenced off area with an arrangement of evergreen trees.

"I'm glad that you moved on." Erwin stated, shifting the car into park and then pulling up the e-brake. "I know it's hard, but it was for the best. And it let you come here for Christmas."

Levi smiled. "It did." He replied, then looked eagerly to the trees. "So we're getting a fresh one."

"Yes," Erwin nodded. "My father always picked a fresh tree. C'mon, I'll show you how to find the best one."

The pair got out of the car and began to walk amongst the trees. A rugged man with a beard of short stubble approached them, wearing a bandana under his beanie. "Welcome, welcome!" He greeted them, then held out a hand for Erwin to shake. "I was afraid I wouldn't see you, Erwin. You're usually here much earlier in the season."

"I've been… coping." Erwin replied, then motioned to Levi. "I'm actually here to pick out a tree for Levi. He's a journalist from California that's been sent here to document the traditions of the town of Santa Claus for his company.

The man held out a hand for Levi to shake and smiled at the smaller man's purple gloves. "Nice to meet ya, Levi. I'm Ness. I run the tree lot every year here. You're gonna love the tree we help you find."

Levi smiled at Ness, then at Erwin. "Thank you." He replied, "Erwin's kinda been my unofficial guide to the Santa Claus Christmas, so I'm sure I'm in good hands."

Ness laughed. "Oh, I suppose so. If there's anything the Smith family knows better than medicine, it's Christmas."

Erwin blushed and nodded, then reached out to take Levi's hand. "We'll look around now, Ness." He stated, ending the conversation with the store owner and began to lead Levi away.

"There's a lot less than what you're used to Erwin, but that's the price of being late." Ness called after him.

Levi followed Erwin, his heart beating fast as he squeezed the pharmacist's hand. He had admitted he was gay in the car when he told Erwin about his ex-boyfriend, but he wasn't sure if Erwin was straight or not. He didn't want to get his own hopes up, but he couldn't help but feel affection growing towards the man that seemed to have no problem flirting with a gay man.

"How's this one?" He asked, breaking the silence and pointing at a random tree. It was four feet tall and bloomed out at the bottom like a bell. Levi thought the shape was quite nice.

"No, no." Erwin replied, "That one is much too small."

"For you." Levi pouted. "It's the right size for me."

Erwin laughed. "Yes, I suppose so. But I can help you reach the top, so let's pick something that won't make me look like a giant next to it."

Levi smiled shyly and nodded. "Sure. What's your pick then?"

"I'm still looking for it." Erwin replied, "The perfect tree should have a nice thick base, full branches, and deep green needles."

"Wow, that's… that should be easy to find here. I mean, we're in a sea of trees." Levi teased.

"That's what you think." Erwin replied, "But a lot of these trees won't have all three of those. And Ness is right, we did come late. So a lot of the best trees are gone."

"Well, we'll make do." Levi replied. "You want a taller tree then, right? So how tall?"

"Six feet, at least." Erwin laughed, noticing the mock-horror on Levi's face. "It has to be at least my height, Levi."

"Fine," Levi replied. "How about eight feet?"

Erwin laughed, "My ceiling is eight feet. The tallest we can go is seven or we won't be able to put a topper on it."

Levi laughed, blushing with embarrassment. "Ah, I see." He replied, "Then seven it is. If we're going to get a tall one, let's get the tallest one we can."

"Sure," Erwin agreed. "Most people don't want the seven footers anyways, so we'll have a better chance finding a decent one."

"Yeah, because everyone isn't a giant." Levi teased.

Erwin chuckled and rubbed Levi's arm. "C'mon." He whined playfully.

"Fine." Levi replied, "Alright, Mr. Christmas. Show me the best tree here."

Erwin chuckled. "Well, I'm no Santa Claus, but…" He gazed around, leading Levi to where the seven foot tall trees were and examining them.

There was a larger selection of the taller trees, just as Erwin had predicted. One of them stood out to Erwin, having long branches and a sturdy trunk.

"That's our tree." Erwin pointed it out to Levi with a triumphant grin. "Good green coverage and a solid base. That's the one we want."

"Going bigger than last year's six-point-fiver." Ness commented, walking up behind them. "Though, I agree. She's a beauty, Erwin."

"Of course she is. I chose her." Erwin smirked, proud of himself.

Levi watched the men exchange banter on Christmas trees with warmth, enjoying how innocent and pure the conversation felt. It was wholehearted and playful, and the kind of exchange that he expected to witness in a small community.

As Levi lost himself in his head and began to type notes for his article into his phone, Erwin paid for the Christmas tree and helped Ness wrap it up in a net to transport back to his house. He held the heavy trunk as Ness took the tree by the top and the two carried it back to Erwin's SUV, where they secured it to the roof. Erwin had to call out to Levi to break through the smaller man's thoughts, but after he did, Levi rushed over and offered to help, but Ness and Erwin declined him.

"Just watch." Erwin replied, "For your article."

Levi nodded, grateful that the man let him simply do his work. Once the tree was secured, Erwin and Levi climbed back into the SUV and headed back to Erwin's house.

"How do you plan on getting it off the roof now?" Levi asked.

"The same way we got it on." Erwin replied.

"Won't it damage the paint?"

"Naw, I put a sheet down. My dad taught me the best way to transport a Christmas tree."

"He was a pharmacist too, right? Ness said the whole Smith family was in medicine."

Erwin nodded, then swallowed audibly. "Yeah, he… he… My grandfather started the pharmacy and my dad carried it on. Now I carried it on. That's kind of how it goes around here."

"Did you ever try to leave?" Levi asked, genuinely curious. "I mean, usually you hear of teenagers dreaming to get out of their small towns and make it big in the cities."

Erwin chuckled, "That's a valid point." He replied. "But no. I never wanted to leave. My parents were… a lot of my motivation. I did leave at some point to go to university and get my license to be a pharmacist, but I never really liked it. Being away from home. I did a lot of my undergrad work online so that I could be close to my mom."

"That's sweet of you." Levi commented, "It's not something I heard of usually, in California I mean. A lot of people I know were hellbent on getting away from their parents. Usually dreaming of moving to the opposite side of the state or a place like New York."

"One big city to another?" Erwin teased.

"Something like that." Levi replied. "I was similar to you, I guess. I never wanted to go too far from my uncle. It was just the two of us for a long time. So I… I never wanted to severe that connection. He even paid for half of my tuition to get through journalism school."

"That's kind of him." Erwin smiled at Levi. "He sounds like a very caring man."

"He was." Levi replied, "Though he was good at hiding that. He was one of those people that liked to express their affection through actions, so I got used to looking into the little thingsI That's part of what got me interested in journalism. You'd have to look at the details of a case."

"So why not become a detective?" Erwin asked, genuinely curious.

"Have you seen my height?" Levi teased, "I am strong, and fit. But I just didn't want to join the force and go through all that hierarchy bullshit to get to a post I'd be happy with. It's a long road to get to detective and I just… wasn't sure I'd be that invested in the job at the end of the day. I just want to survive, you know? Besides, my family had some history with the police so I didn't feel comfortable."

"Do you have a record or something?" Erwin teased Levi, then risked glancing at him to see if he offended the smaller man. "I'm just playing, I don't mean to-" He hastened to backstep the conversation.

"No, no." Levi replied, smirking. "It's alright. And no, I don't. But my mother did, and my uncle did - when he was younger. My grandfather did. It's all history now, but it's not something I'd want to see. Or have constantly reminding me through my work."

"That's understandable." Erwin replied. "I kinda get that the opposite way, having to live up to my father and his father's reputations."

Levi nodded. "Is that difficult for you?"

"Sometimes." Erwin admitted. "Sometimes it's just too much. Times were simpler for them, and people don't want to see that. They want to see you constantly putting them first and that's just not how it can be all the time."

Levi frowned. What Erwin was saying didn't add up to the kind person he had proven himself to be countless times over. "Is this… is this about your girlfriend?" He asked, linking the disappointment in Erwin's voice to the only discussion they had of a negative in his life.

"Yeah," Erwin admitted. "You can imagine how many people thought she 'such a sweet, nice girl' and I had 'hurt her beyond repair' when we broke up. I had people in this town, neighbours that my family has helped for years, come into the shop just to tell me that I was wrong for breaking up with her. They didn't buy anything, just came out of their way to tell me I'm a monster for hurting her feelings and all this drama."

"That's horrible." Levi agreed. "I'm sorry that happened to you. People can be so rude."

"I mean, they saw the damage to my car. I filed a police report because I was afraid that the next time that lead pipe would be aimed at me. And yet none of them considered my feelings. They just… wanted us to be together for their own expectations to be fulfilled."

"I know what you mean." Levi sighed. "It was kinda like that with me and my best friend when I came out to him. He tried to get me to experiment with women and said I didn't have enough experience to come out as gay. Later he felt awful about it, when he realized how much he hurt me by attempting to convince me otherwise. But in the moment it was truly horrifying."

"That is horrifying." Erwin agreed. "It's refreshing to talk to someone that understands. Miche does, but he's always been ahead of the times. He's got his own problems too."

The pair fell into a brief silence that the Christmas music on the radio filled. The drive back home felt shorter than the drive to the tree lot. It filled Levi with a nervous excitement as soon as Erwin turned the car onto a residential street and then into a small, sloped driveway.

"Alright, let's get this baby in the house." Erwin grinned.

The two worked together to untie the tree from the room of the car, with Erwin getting a step stool for Levi out of his garage. Then Erwin instructed the journalist on how to lift the sheet that lay between the tree and the roof of the SUV so that it came up and around the tree, creating a makeshift carrier for them to carry the tree into the house with.

Levi was surprised that Erwin had already arrange the area for the tree and had the tree stand already set up.

"What's in it?" Levi asked, going over to examine the green box.

"Water." Erwin stated, "Lots and lots of water. Which, I need to add more water to, since I didn't think we'd get one so tall."

"How much water does it need?"

"A lot." Erwin chuckled. "Basically a gallon at all times, if not more. It's better to have more so the tree doesn't dry out too soon. But we got it two days or so before Christmas so it shouldn't be too bad."

Levi nodded, waiting as Erwin disappeared and returned with a pitcher of water, which he poured into the tree stand. Levi watched him work, absorbing the example with the intent to remember as much of the process as necessary.

"I'll probably get a live tree next year too." Levi commented, "They smell amazing."

"If you can find a lot out in your big city, sure." Erwin teased Levi.

Levi pouted. "Maybe I'll just come back here?" He retorted.

"Maybe you shouldn't leave?" Erwin teased back.

Levi blushed, amazed that the blonde would suggest such a thing, even if it was a joke. He was too stunned to reply and Erwin didn't seem to read into his lack of response.

They moved on, placing the tree in the stand and opening the boxers that contained the string of lights, ornaments, and the five-pointed star tree-topper. Erwin guided Levi with the lights, then they decorated the tree with all the ornaments. Occasionally Erwin would tell Levi a sentimental story that was attached to one of the ornaments, or Levi would share a memory of the Christmases he had with his uncle. They worked until the tree was fully trimmed and resembled a frumpy Hallmark rendition.

"Now all that's left if the star." Erwin grinned, handing it to Levi. "I'll give you a boost."

"What?!" Levi gasped, "No way!"

"C'mon, Levi!" Erwin teased, "We're both too short to reach it alone. Besides, the tree topper is always put on by the shortest person. It's tradition."

Levi inhaled audibly, then sighed. "Fine." He agreed, accepting the tree-topper. "But only because it's tradition."

Erwin grinned, then he lifted Levi up so that the smaller man could put the star on the top of the tree. Once they were done, he set Levi down on his feet and they stepped back to admire their hard work.

"It's beautiful." Levi commented, "I think we did a great job."

"I agree." Erwin replied, "We make a pretty badass team."

Levi chuckled, amused by the pharmacist's word choice. "You know what, Erwin? I agree."

The pair stepped back to gaze at the tree from a new angle, eventually moving to sit on the sofa while they admired their tree. After a moment, Erwin got up and made some hot chocolate, which they drank as the sun began to set outside and their tree shone brighter in the dimly lit living room.

"So your father made most of those ornaments?" Levi asked, nodding towards the tiny glass sculptures that hung off the branches of the tree.

"Yeah, he was big into handmade things. He made one every year for my mother, and just kept the tradition alive by making me one every year after she passed."

"That's sweet of him." Levi mumbled, "Your dad was very talented."

Erwin chuckled softly. "Thank you. He definitely made me the person I am today. I actually love handmade things. The blanket you have around you is actually something I made myself. It was a project I decided to do when I attempted to take up knitting. The small needles were too fine for me to loop, so Hanji showed me this arm-knitting technique and that's the result."

Levi looked at the cozy, large-knitted blanket around him and met Erwin's eyes with his jaw dropped open. " _You_ made this?!" He asked, "It's amazing!"

Levi bit his lower lip, discovering what it was he wanted to give to Erwin for Christmas. He frowned, realizing that the perfect gift was something he already owned and was in his apartment back home. There would be no way for him to get the gift for Erwin in time for the holidays.

"Beginnger's luck." Erwin shrugged, "But yes. I like to try a lot of different mediums. I don't really like to get too good at anything, since I want to stay open-minded about trying new stuff."

Levi nodded, "That's understandable. I always wanted to get good at one or two dishes in the kitchen. So that I could have a specialty, you know? But I never did. I just make okay-dishes for everything."

Erwin chuckled. "What's your best baking?" He asked.

"Oh, probably spice cake." Levi replied, "My uncle loved it with some rum so I got pretty good at that."

"What about cookies?" Erwin asked.

"No idea." Levi replied, "I never tried cookies. My uncle had diabetes later in life, so I never got into cooking too many sweet things."

"I see." Erwin replied. "My mom got me into baking. She had this special Christmas cookie recipe. I make it every year."

"Can I try one?" Levi asked, eager to have a real authentic Christmas cookie and not just one that was baked in a supermarket.

Erwin laughed. "You'd have to bake some with me first. I didn't make any this year. I wasn't too keen on celebrating alone."

Levi chuckled. "That's understandable." He replied. "Yeah, I'll help. Let's make some cookies."

They moved into the kitchen where Erwin had begun to take out all the necessary ingredients. He clearly had the recipe memorized, since he walked Levi through all the steps without having to consult any papers or books. As Levi cut out the cookies in shapes of Christmas stockings, round tree ornaments, and snowmen, Erwin prepared the oven and moved the cookies onto a baking tray. As the cookies baked, Erwin and Levi continued cooking, making a small dinner for themselves to share. They boiled some potatoes and pan-fried some steak with fresh asparagus and onions.

"I actually love to cook." Levi commented as they carried their dinner to the kitchen table and sat down to eat. "I sometimes think I chose the wrong career when I get so absorbed by my kitchen."

Erwin chuckled. "Why didn't you go into cooking then?"

Levi shrugged. "I don't think I saw a career in it. Stupid, huh? Since I enjoy it so much."

"It makes sense to me." Erwin replied. "Maybe you were just afraid that if you did it for work, you'd lose that love for it?"

"Maybe." Levi agreed. "I looked at a few programs for it online when I was applying for journalism school. But I never went through with it. I didn't see it as a feasible thing because it's a hard industry to get steady work in. Unless you know someone, you kinda bounce around for the first little bit. With journalism, at least where I'm from, you can find something steady, even if it's shitty."

Erwin nodded, chewing his steak and swallowing it before replying. "Yeah, I suppose everyone in this town has that kinda easy."

"Yeah," Levi agreed. "Like you and your family with the pharmacy. And Michael with his family's café."

Erwin nodded, then shrugged. "It doesn't always make it easier though. Take Miche for example. His great-grandparents started that café. His parents work in the kitchen, but between you and me, they've been slowing down these last few months. No one in the town has the heart to mention any wait times to him, but sometimes the tourists do and he's already stressed about it. But he won't say anything. He wants to join them in the kitchen to help out, but he can't find anyone he trusts enough to run the front for him."

"That's difficult. I'm sorry to hear that." Levi frowned. "I feel bad for him. I wouldn't mind working with him, even if it was just for a day to help him out, with the tourists complaining and all."

"That's sweet of you." Erwin replied, smiling at Levi. He was amazed by the smaller man's compassion. "I don't think that's necessary, but it's very sweet of you to have considered."

Levi blushed. "Thank you." He replied, "Though I do wish I could do more."

"You-" Erwin began, but the sound of the doorbell ringing cut him off.

Levi and Erwin gazed at each other for a moment, before Erwin stood up and excused himself. "I should get that." He mumbled.

Levi nodded and Erwin left the room, heading down the hallway towards the front door. While Erwin greeted his unexpected visitor, Levi pulled out his cell phone and began to check his notifications. His ex-boyfriend had messaged him, so Levi replied to him, finding the hurt he had previously felt in regards to his ex had suddenly become weak and meaningless.

"I told you, now isn't a good time." Levi heard Erwin explaining. "I have a guest over-"

"That journalist everyone is talking about-" A female voice asked in a condescending voice.

"Yes." Erwin sounded stressed. "And I'm actually having a good time, so please-"

"Please go?" The woman cut him off. "How can you possibly be blowing me off for that man doing his job? He's-"

"You blew me off to date Nile." Erwin cut her off this time. "So I would think this fair."

His logic appeared to provide a solid point since the woman faltered in answering. "Fine." She snapped, "I can see that you won't change your mind."

"No, Marie. My mind was made up the date you left. I don't see why you are trying to reconcile with me anymore. I know you heard my father passed-"

"And I am sorry to hear that, Erwin. I know how close you were to hi-"

"Thank you. But really, Marie, now is not a good time. I know you are trying to do the right thing, but right now I need to have this time away from everyone I know."

Marie seemed upset by Erwin's request but could not find a way to deny him. Instead she turned on her heels and headed back to her car, which she had left idling in his driveway.

Erwin watched her go, then closed the door and returned to the kitchen. "I'm sorry about that." He began, then noticed Levi was texting on his phone.

"Sorry," Levi replied, "Flagon apparently just heard I went out of town for work." He rolled his eyes.

Erwin tried to smile but the expression didn't quite reach his eyes. He was clearly bothered by this information. "Oh?" He replied, "Odd timing that both our exes reach out at the exact same time."

Levi chuckled. "Yeah. Imagine that, huh?" He put his phone away and apologized for using it at the dinner table. "He's so stupid sometimes. Like, he tells me he wants distance and is afraid of commitment and then when I'm out of town he's all 'where are you' and 'I'm so worried.' Like, just fuck off Flagon."

Erwin smirked at Levi's disapproval of the man's mixed messages. "Yeah," He agreed. "I feel the same way about Marie. She was always 'let's get married,' and then 'you're not good enough.' It gave me whiplash."

"What did she want?" Levi asked, nodding his head towards the front door. "That was her just now, right?"

Erwin heaved a sigh. "Yeah, that was her indeed. She actually wanted to know why I was hanging out with you. But… I should be one hundred percent honest with you. One of the main reasons why me and Marie broke up was because I was curious about my sexuality."

"Oh!" Levi replied, not expecting the conversation to take such a sudden turn. His heart was hammering in his chest and he suddenly felt as though the floor had been pulled out from under him. He realized that the blonde saw him as a personal confide, one that perhaps he could not find in such a small town. It confused him as to whether Erwin was seeking companionship or something more in his confession to Levi.

"Yeah," Erwin sighed, then continued. "She wanted me to propose and I told her that I wasn't sure I wanted to marry a woman. She was surprised, naturally, but the discomfort of being with a woman had just begun growing more and more in my heart and I found myself… seeking a male companion. In a town this small-"

"I can imagine how small the odds are of finding a man that is both interested in men and someone you are attracted to." Levi cut Erwin off, his breath heavy as well.

Erwin reached out and placed his hand over Levi's on the tabletop. "Exactly." He whispered, allowing the action to stand for itself. He didn't want to say more, he didn't want to appear to Levi as though he were asking the smaller man to be his experiment, but he wanted to let the journalist know that he wasn't opposed to something more.

Levi cleared his throat and bit his lower lip. He stared at his dinner plate and felt his blood race throughout his body. It made him feel dizzy. He had noticed how much he had grown to like Erwin over the last few days, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to take such a step towards becoming so intimate with him. If he grew attached, he wasn't sure he wanted to start a long distance relationship. And if neither of them developed any real feelings, he wasn't sure he could be comfortable with having slept with one of the people he viewed as being in a relationship for work. In the worst case scenario, he would develop feelings and Erwin would confirm his sexuality as a heterosexual, leaving Levi to be hurt all over again.

"I-" He began, but the blonde cut him off.

"This is the first time I told anyone that, about me." He started, letting go of Levi's hand and confusing the message of the action. He could have simply grabbed Levi's hand to express how serious he was about the topic, or to reassure himself as he confessed. Or he could have done it to subtly flirt with Levi and see how the smaller man reacted. Now that he removed his hand after giving Levi this last piece of information, it wasn't clear as to what his motivation was when he held Levi's hand.

"Only Marie knows. And that was the one thing she didn't spread around the town. I don't think she had enough evidence. I didn't pursue any men. I didn't even tell Michael about this."

"And so Marie is looking to me as evidence?" Levi raised an eyebrow. "You think she would rehash all that how many years later?"

Erwin shrugged. "I wouldn't put it past her."

"I think people already know, Erwin." Levi reassured the blonde. "You broke up with her. Sure, she was… abusive, to you and your car. But there had to have been another reason for the break up and a town this small would start to talk. You didn't move on with another lady, despite the fact that you work with one. I'm sure Mike and Hanji have picked up on your less-than-straight tendencies at some point and accepted you as you are without having to pressure you into coming out."

Erwin's eyes widened and he looked down at the table before him again. "Hanji did mention it, indirectly, to me." He mumbled, reflecting back on his conversations with her.

"My uncle knew before I did." Levi replied with a look of knowing on his fair face. "Sometimes its obvious, but we think we hide it so well. I think a lot of people in this town would actually support you for coming out. I'm sure your father wouldn't have wanted you to live in the closet."

Erwin blushed. "Yeah, he- he probably wouldn't have." Erwin agreed. "Do you think he knew? My dad?"

Levi smiled at Erwin. "I don't know, Erwin. I couldn't tell you that. But, he wasn't supportive of your relationship with Marie. So maybe he did know you were with the wrong person?"

Erwin was surprised by Levi's reasoning and perception. He nodded, then stood up and opened his arms in a silent invitation for a hug.

Levi smiled in response to the now-familiar action and stood up as well. He embraced Erwin, glad to have reassured the man, and hoped that he had given him enough courage to come out. At least to his friends.

The pair said nothing more on the topic as they naturally shifted to cleaning the kitchen and checking on their cookies. Erwin taught Levi how to make icing with just the right amount of consistency to keep the icing firm enough to retain its shape but moist enough to decorate with. They made red, blue, green, yellow, and white icing and spent the early evening decorating the cooled cookies and smearing icing on each other's hands and faces.

A knock at the door interrupted them and Erwin called Levi over to the door to enjoy the singing of the carollers. Levi watched with awe as the three men and two women sang them two Christmas carols, then turned and left, continuing to another house.

"It's just like the in movies." Levi commented as Erwin closed the door.

"It's tradition here." Erwin explained "It's kinda a reminder that the tree lighting ceremony will happen-"

"Tree lighting ceremony?" Levi asked and raised an eyebrow.

"To be honest, I was having so much fun making the cookies with you, I kinda forgot about it." Erwin replied.

Levi laughed. "What is it?"

"It's our big Christmas event in the town square." Erwin explained, "The mayor says a few words, they light the big Christmas tree, and we have our version of a Christmas market. You can buy food or small trinkets, sometimes blankets and sweaters. All of the proceeds go to charity. It's really a small town-"

"Can we go?" Levi asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "I should document it for my article."

"Of course," Erwin replied. "It starts in about an hour, so we should probably clean up and head out."

The pair washed up the icing from their faces and cleaned the kitchen. Since Erwin didn't know what to do with so many Christmas cookies, they divided them into goodie bags and filled a small basket, deciding to give some out to the people they would meet at the Christmas Tree Lighting.

Erwin drove Levi as close as he could to the main square. It was a ways away from his house, but the drive remained short. They parked the car on a commercial street and walked towards the large Christmas tree in the centre of the square. Levi was amazed to see how many people were walking around and filling the square. It were as if the entire town had come out to witness the event.

The tree towered over them and Levi had to lift his chin to see the top of it. It made their seven-footer look like a miniature in comparison, extending skywards until its top was higher than the buildings around it. Large gold and red ornaments decorated it and a large gold star sat on the top.

"That can't be a real tree, is it?" Levi asked, taking a picture of the tree.

"Um, I'm honestly not sure." Erwin replied. "If it is, that would require a ton of water."

Levi laughed. "It certainly is something." He replied. He took a bag of cookies out of the basket Erwin was holding and handed it out to a young girl who had been pointing at the basket and tugging on her mother's sleeve. "Merry Christmas," Levi smiled at her, glad to have brought the child some Christmas cheer.

The girl's mother thanked Levi and Erwin and led the little girl away to share the cookies with her younger brother.

Erwin smiled at Levi. "I didn't know you were good with kids." He teased the smaller man.

"They probably think I am one myself." Levi teased Erwin back, making a jab against his own height. "Actually, it's amazing how simple things are here. In California you could have a lawsuit for giving homebaked goodies away." He laughed, "I like how carefree it is here."

Erwin chuckled. "Well, that's one of the perks of a small town. I remember that about the cities, when I was in college. It was difficult to please everyone."

The two compared the city and small town until the crowd around them thickened and they were all urged to be silent as the mayor approached a podium on the stage to the north of the Christmas tree. He had thin, dark hair, a patchy beard, and a tired expression on his long, hollow face. Levi was surprised to see that the mayor was not much older than Erwin himself.

"Greetings citizens and visitors of Santa Claus," The mayor began in a low, bored voice. "I am Nile Dok, the mayor of Santa Claus." He introduced himself.

"He's so young." Levi commented to Erwin.

The blonde rolled his eyes. "He's younger than I am."

"He looks older than you do."

"Because he's stupider than I am."

Levi stifled a laugh behind his purple mittens. He hadn't expected the blonde to insult the mayor so directly.

"It's true." Erwin insisted, which only made Levi laugh some more. The blonde swelled with pride, enjoying the sound of Levi's muffled laughter and the look of pure joy on his fair face.

Levi's laughter died the moment he caught sight of a woman standing off to the side of the stage. He looked to her and then to Erwin, feeling something about her connected Erwin's insult to the mayor. "Is that-"

"Marie? Yes." Erwin rolled his eyes. "She left me for the mayor."

"And that… is how word spread so fast." Levi mumbled, "Ahh, that makes sense."

"And only one of the reasons why he's so stupid." Erwin smirked.

Levi grinned at Erwin. "Then they're perfect for each other." He stated boldly, before reaching out and taking Erwin's hand in his own.

Erwin's mouth fell open in shock before he gave Levi a reassuring smile and squeezed his hand. He clearly hadn't expected the smaller man to insult Marie, or hold his hand, but he was glad that he had.

They missed Nile's speech as they exchanged their own comments about the couple, but their attention returned to the shabby looking mayor when he announced that it was time to light the Santa Claus Christmas tree.

A short but joyous countdown was called out by all the attendants in the crowd, led by Nile Dok himself. With a flash, the large Christmas tree was suddenly illuminated with just shy of one thousand brilliant white lights.

Levi gasped in surprise and took another photo. He looked to Erwin with a wide grin, then asked the blonde to join him in a picture with the tree. A nearby man who Levi recognized as another guest at Thomas and Amelia's hotel offered to take the photo for them so they could have more of the tree in the shot, and Levi graciously accepted his offer.

The pair walked around the town square, handing out cookies and exploring the few food and souvenir stalls. Levi purchased a few trinkets for his friends and boss back home, and Erwin purchased some of the food for them to enjoy: caramel popcorn, homemade fudge, and Christmas pudding being the most popular stalls. Levi took several pictures of the town in its full celebration mode, documenting the event as the main feature of his article.

As the evening turned to night, Erwin found himself gazing at Levi with more and more feeling in his heart. He realized that he was beginning to feel what he hadn't felt for anyone in a long time: a desire to be completely honest and connected to him. He felt nervous as he realized that he was falling in love with Levi the longer he spent with him, but he couldn't deny that the smaller man had captured his attention and then his heart. He was sure he wasn't simply curious about his sexuality any longer, since he knew he was going to be affected on a personal level when Levi returned to Bakersfield after his work assignment was complete.

And because of Levi's temporary stay in Santa Claus, Indiana, Erwin was afraid to confess his growing feelings to the man. He didn't want to put him in a position where he would have to feel badly about his work trip. He also didn't want to taint of the memories he had made with Levi in the smaller man's eyes. And he wasn't sure if Levi would agree to a long distance relationship, especially since he had just gotten out of such a shitty one.

Erwin also wasn't sure if he himself could handle a distance between himself and the smaller man if they were in a relationship. But he wasn't ready to leave the town of Santa Claus and all the commitments he had here. He wasn't sure what the future would look like if he pursued a relationship with Levi, so he remained silent about his growing feelings towards the man and simply enjoyed the evening with him.

They walked in silence back to the car after several hours, their basket now filled with some of the goodies they had purchased rather than the cookies they had arrived with. There was an energy between them that didn't need words, and so it surprised them both when they arrived at the hotel and simply hugged each other over the gear-shift in Erwin's SUV.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" Levi asked, gathering his portion of the goodies from the basket.

"I'm going to be working tomorrow morning." Erwin replied, "But I am free after noon."

"I should put together my article for my boss tomorrow." Levi replied. "I don't know when exactly I'll be done, but I hope to see you tomorrow. Say four o'clock? We can have dinner together-"

"At my place again?" Erwin asked, "It's just… most places will be closed early too."

Levi nodded and agreed. "That sounds good. I'll-"

"Why don't you take my number?" Erwin asked suddenly, his heart guiding his voice. "So if you finish early, we can meet up sooner."

Levi's eyes widened and then he smiled. "That's a great idea." He gave Erwin his phone and added his own contact information into the blonde's. "I'll let you know if I'm done early. If not, meet at four?"

"Meet you here like today?"

"Yeah. Except I won't run into you."

The pair laughed at their own mockery of themselves, then Levi opened his door and stepped out of the vehicle. He waved to Erwin, then headed back inside the hotel. He didn't notice Erwin stayed idling at the front curb, watching Levi until he disappeared inside the hotel, regretting not telling Levi that he had developed feelings for him when he had the chance.


	5. Chapter 5

Ratings: T  
Warnings: None

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story: living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

Author's Notes: Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all my readers! Happy Birthday to Levi, as well.

* * *

 **Chapter 5: FRIDAY DECEMBER 24th - Christmas Eve**

Levi spent the night typing up his article. He wanted to make sure he had it done in time to have some spare time for Erwin's gift tomorrow morning. As much as he wanted to see the blonde as soon as possible, he wanted to make sure he had time to find Erwin the perfect Christmas gift.

He went to bed in the early hours of Christmas Eve and woke up just after ten in the morning. He hurried to get ready for the day, then skipped breakfast in order to go out and get some shopping done. There was some items he would need to pick up and arrange in order to put together the perfect gift for the blonde, so he needed some time to arrange it all once he returned to the hotel. He wanted to make sure he returned to the hotel by noon, since he knew Erwin would be at the pharmacy and unable to run into him by accident when he was out shopping.

When he returned to the hotel, he was exhausted and starving. Despite this, Levi felt oddly cheerful and full of the magic of the holiday season. He was surprised to find that he was once again eager to surprise someone and see their face light up with the reaction of a well-planned gift. He was surprised by how happy he was just thinking about Erwin, and the comparison made Levi realize how unhappy he had been since his uncle had passed away.

He hadn't given it much thought, but since October Levi had been living his life day by day and trying to find the best in what it was that he had. He hadn't contemplated breaking out of his routine long enough to see the possibility in his life anymore, and until he had spoken to Erwin yesterday, he hadn't realized how much he had neglected the things he enjoyed to do in favour of sulking at how lonely he had become. He realized as he placed his shopping bags down in his hotel room how much of himself he had let die along with his uncle, including his hope of ever connecting with someone in the way that he was connecting with Erwin now.

He headed downstairs to join the hotel guests in the Christmas Eve lunch that Amelia had been cooking since this morning. He was amazed at the assortment of food she had prepared, with smoked meats, freshly baked breads, and a wide variety of seasonal vegetables. Levi made himself a large plate from the buffet-style lunch table and took his plate to where he spied Thomas sitting and enjoying his meal.

"How are you, Levi?" Thomas greeted him, "I didn't see you at breakfast."

"I didn't come to it. I was sleeping." Levi replied with a shy smile.

"Tired from the excitement of the Tree Lighting?" Thomas asked, teasing Levi. He had seen him there with Erwin and had come to say hello, taking some of the cookies they had baked with a delighted smile.

"A bit." Levi replied, "I stayed up for most of the night to work on my article. I wanted to use the Tree Lighting as the main feature, so I wanted to make sure I got all I felt into the piece as soon as I could."

"Lost track of time typing away, eh?" Thomas joked.

"Kinda." Levi agreed. "I wanted to get some shopping done before all the stores closed today too. So I headed out as soon as I woke up."

"Good thing too! Everywhere shuts down around noon here on the Eve, if not just a little after. I think we are one of the only places that you could get a meal at after four."

"That's something that happens in Bakersfield too," Levi replied, "So I'm used to having second half of the day off."

"Ah, I imagine they do it everywhere that celebrates the holidays." Thomas replied. He paused to sip his egg nog and then smiled at Levi with a fatherly warmth in his gaze. "So, how was your shopping? Got everything you wanted?"

Levi finished chewing his food and swallowed before answering. "Yeah. I was just picking up some stuff to put together a little something."

"For someone special?" Thomas asked, a knowing look in his eyes.

Levi blushed, suddenly feeling as though the older man was judging him. "I guess so." He replied.

"Well, that's good." The hotel owner replied. "I'm glad to hear it. I think… it's good for you to be honest with yourself."

Levi raised an eyebrow and gave Thomas a puzzled look, his face a carefully composed mask. "I'm sorry Thomas, but I don't quite understand what you-"

"Oh, stop trying to fool everyone, including yourself, Levi." Thomas replied, teasing the journalist. "I know a smitten fool when I see one. I was one myself once upon a time."

Levi blushed and looked at his food. "Are you saying I'm in love with-"

"I'm saying love happens when we are least expecting it." Thomas replied, cutting Levi off. "And sometimes it's not when we think it should or it's with who we think it shouldn't be with. But when it's real, it's not something you should ever consider staying silent about."

Levi was quiet for a moment, contemplating what the older man was trying to tell him. He wanted to tell him to mind his own business, but he knew that Thomas wasn't saying any of this with ill intentions. It would be both rude and defensive if he were to accuse the man of prying. And if he was being completely honest with himself, the older man's words reminded him of what his uncle would say. Instead of being guarded, he decided to listen to what the man had to say and open both his heart and his mind to the hotel owner's advice.

"So you're saying I should tell… this special person?" He asked, hesitant to admit he had grown feelings for anyone in the first place.

"Yes." Thomas replied, then sipped his egg nog again. "Because you might never get the chance to again, Levi. Rather than leave them behind in this town with nothing but a sentimental gift to remember you by- oh, don't look so surprised boy, I know what it is you were planning on doing."

Levi was unable to keep his mouth from falling open in surprise. He was glad he wasn't chewing any food at the time, fearing that it would have spilt out and onto his plate because of his shock at the man's words. He was amazed as to how Thomas had known exactly what it was that he was planning to do.

"Like I said before, Levi. I was a smitten fool once too. Listen. If you leave Santa Claus to return to Bakersfield and pretend that nothing here changed your heart, you will regret it until the day you die. If you're prepared to do that, then that's on you. But I think that you, and your special someone, both deserve a happier ending than that."

Levi nodded, feeling inspired by the hotel owner's words. "I think… I think I'm just scared, Thomas." He replied, trying to make sense of his feelings. "What if… they don't return my feelings? Or what happens if they do and we're separated by two-thousand miles?"

"Then you have your answer and at least won't regret anything." Thomas replied. "If they don't like you, that's a shame but at least you won't waste away in Bakersfield thinking 'what if' every time Christmas comes around the corner. And if they do like you, then it's simple math. The two-thousand mile gap has to go." Thomas held up a hand as Levi opened his mouth to speak. "And that doesn't mean one has to go to the other. Maybe both can go somewhere else together. But whatever you decide will be decided together and- and Levi - you, again, have your answer. It would be something you would have to decide together. But then you won't be left regretting that you didn't take the chance when it was offered to you."

Levi nodded. He contemplated what it was his uncle would often tell him when he came across difficult decisions. He was silent as he reflected on the advice he had given Erwin just yesterday, when he encouraged him to come out of the closet to his friends. It wouldn't mean anything if he didn't take his own advice and let the blonde know how he felt towards him.

"You're right, Thomas." Levi replied finally. "I owe him an answer at least."

Thomas gave Levi a knowing smile, then gathered his empty plate, cutlery, and glass. "Out of everyone in your field, you were sent here to cover Christmas celebrations." He reminded Levi. "And out of everyone you met in the town of Santa Claus - even though we are quite small - you found yourself the one person who made an effort to spend as much time with you as possible. Don't you think there was some more meaning to it than collecting information for an article?"

Levi opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again. He realized that Thomas was right, that something had drawn him here and given him an opportunity that he wouldn't have had in Bakersfield. He looked at his plate, noting the Christmas design of mistletoe and holly around the rim, and felt inspired by the wonder of the season.

"There has to have been." He replied, looking up to meet Thomas' gaze. To Levi's surprise the older man was no longer at the table, his dirty dishes also gone.

Levi glanced around the dinning room, surprised to find that Thomas was nowhere to be seen. He returned to his own meal, eating in silence, before heading up to his room and beginning to work on Erwin's gift.

* * *

Erwin had opened the pharmacy early and closed it up at noon, just as he had told Levi. He didn't have many customers, but he did fill two prescriptions, help a family visiting Santa Claus for the holidays choose the correct over-the-counter medication for their child who caught a cold, and sell several last-minute gift wrapping supplies. He was glad to have closed the shop early today, eager to get home and have some lunch and down time before he met with Levi for dinner. He was excited to have dinner with Levi again, despite feeling anxious about potentially messing it up. He was sure Levi would be leaving either tonight or tomorrow to return to Bakersfield, and he didn't want to miss any time he could spend with him.

After he had lunch at Zachiarus', Erwin stopped by one of the souvenir shops that was open until four, then returned home. He had returned home last night and gone through his late father's Christmas storage until he found what he was searching for, then spent several hours revisiting an old craft his father had encouraged him to pursue. Now, he took his creation from the night before and tucked it, along with two of the Christmas cookies he had prepared with Levi, into a white-trimmed, cherry red stocking he had just picked up with the journalist's name embroidered on it. He realized that he had missed the tradition of 'hanging up stockings with care' since Levi had not had a stocking of his own to hang up at Erwin's.

The pharmacist stared at the stocking hanging opposite to his own on the mantel now, feeling a wave of happiness wash over him at the sight of the stocking with Levi's name on it hanging beside his own. It felt right to have the stocking there, as if it belonged there. Erwin decided he would take his own down when he gave Levi's his; he didn't want to be disappointed when he looked to his own and saw Levi's was gone after the smaller man had returned to his home in Bakersfield.

For now, he enjoyed the man's gift hanging off his mantel and decided to clean himself up for their dinner. He debated letting the smaller man know of his growing affection towards him, but he couldn't trust himself to say the words in all the right ways. He knew that he was nervous to confess to Levi because he felt so strongly about finally having a relationship that he could commit himself one-hundred percent to and feel accepted for his true self. To be rejected, even if it was because of distance, would be too painful for him to accept since his father had passed away.

"Tell him or don't tell him?" He asked himself, heading to the bathroom to shower. "Fuck." He mumbled, leaning against the counter with his back to the mirror and closing his seablue eyes. "I'm going to regret whatever the option. The thing is… which one am I going to regret more?"

* * *

Levi spent the afternoon working on Erwin's gift. His boss had interrupted him once when he responded to Levi's earlier email, in which he had submitted his article. Levi was glad to see that Zackly had thanked him for his timely submission and wished him a happy holiday. Then he had returned to his work on Erwin's gift.

He felt a constant rush of happiness as he worked away, unable to decipher where exactly the energy was coming from, but enjoying it all the same. He was glad that he got to spend Christmas out here in Indiana, out here with Erwin and the folk of Santa Claus. He felt as though the town and its residents were blessed with the very magic that Christmas was rumoured to have, and he was finally able to experience it. He even caught himself singing Christmas carols as he worked, which he hadn't done since he was a young teenager.

"It's the excitement of seeing that man." Levi finally admitted to himself once he had finished wrapping Erwin's gift. "I just can't deny that it any longer."

He glanced to the clock and sighed with relief. He had just enough time to clean up and get ready for dinner with the handsome blonde. After he had cleaned up the mess he had made, he took a brief shower, then got dressed in his red, long sleeve tshirt and dark jeans. Then he brushed his hair and headed downstairs, eager to find his date.

"Levi?"

Levi gasped and turned at the sound of the strikingly familiar voice. He narrowed his eyes as a blonde approached him, but not the one he had been seeking. Slightly shorter, slimmer, and shaggier, Flagon approached Levi with a hesitant demeanour and a shy smile. Levi frowned as soon as he saw him.

"What are you doing here, Flagon?" Levi asked him, his silver eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Weren't you spending Christmas with your family?"

"I am." Flagon responded, "And I came here to ask you to come with me."

Levi raised an eyebrow and licked his lower lip. "I'm sorry." He replied sharply, "But why would I do that?"

"Because… because… I dunno, Levi. They know about us. They like you. You don't have any family left. I know we're not… together together right now, but-"

"Right now?" Levi asked, "As in we might get back together in the future?"

"Well-"

"Flagon, I'm sorry. But no. I… I was in a bad place after my uncle passed away and you just left me. Because you wanted to party and meet other people and have a good time. When I was… at my lowest. You weren't there for me."

"Can we- can we talk about this- Can I take you to dinner?" Flagon asked, then motioned to the dinning room. "Look, I have a flight to catch in a little bit. Just… have some dinner with me and you can decide if you want to come with me or stay here or go home by yourself or… whatever you decide."

Levi bit his lower lip. He glanced to the front entrance and sighed. "Flagon, I… I can't. I'm at work right now-"

"You already submitted your assignment." Flagon replied with a wave of his hand. He reached out and took Levi's hand. "Your boss told me when I called him-"

"You called my boss?" Levi asked, too surprised by Flagon's words to resist being guided towards the dinning room.

"Well, yeah," Flagon admitted sheepishly, pulling out a chair for Levi.

Levi sat down, as if he were following some kind of instinct rather than having consciously accepted the invitation to dinner. He was more interested in the conversation and the information he was getting out of Flagon. Several questions came racing back to him from his own wonderings the last few months; questions that centered on their breakup and why Flagon had suddenly changed in his regards towards what had clearly been discussed as a long-term, monogamous relationship.

"Why?" He asked instead of one of the many questions on his mind.

"Because I want you to come for Christmas at my family's." Flagon replied with a warm smile. "Like you should be."

"I should be?" Levi repeated Flagon's words, raising an eyebrow again.

As if on their own instinctive schedule, Amelia and Thomas came by, filling glasses with wine on the table in front of Levi and Flagon and serving them plates. As Levi continued to question Flagon, Amelia brought several dishes to their table, setting down a bread basket, caesar salad, stuffing, oven-roasted yams with brown sugar, and roasted chicken with mixed vegetables. Flagon began to help himself to the food laid out before him, occasionally doling out a small portion onto Levi's plate.

"Flagon, I don't know what you're thinking-"

"I did a lot of thinking." Flagon cut Levi off. "And I was rash and, to be honest, I was scared. I didn't know what to do or how to comfort you after your uncle passed away. I was sure that whatever I did do, I would fuck it up. So I didn't do anything and that made things worse."

"Trying to pretend someone very close to me didn't just die is about the worst thing you could have possibly done." Levi stated, surprised by how cool his temper was at the moment. He had fantasized about having an opportunity to speak to Flagon about the way their relationship ended, but he had always thought that he would be overdramatic and cause a scene. Now that the opportunity presented itself, Levi found that he couldn't find enough energy to care about the man's apologies or his explanations. He simply wanted the conversation to end so that he could continue to move on with his life.

"I know." Flagon replied, "I knew that then and I know that now. And I shouldn't have done it. It was stupid of me to break up with you just because I was afraid of how to move forward from such a… life changing event."

Levi couldn't help but roll his eyes. He made no effort to touch the food on his plate, wanting to get to the end of this discussion with his ex. Now that he was seated across from him, he realized that he didn't want to ask the man any questions that had haunted him for weeks after their breakup. He couldn't even understand the attraction he once felt towards him.

"So you're saying you want to get back together? Is that it, Flagon?"

"I can understand if you don't want to right away," Flagon replied, "But perhaps we can start over? Take things slow. You can come over for Christmas and we can just keep it really casual. When you're ready, if you're ready, we can try again."

Levi only stared at Flagon, so the man continued. "I'd like that."

Levi sighed. "Flagon." He stated the man's name in a somber tone. "I don't want to hurt you. But you hurt me. It's exactly as you told me in November, 'we both want different things.' What I wanted then, you didn't. And what you want now, I don't. I… I'm sorry, Flagon. Really. But I don't want to spend Christmas with you. I do appreciate that you would think of me, enough to come all the way out here to Indiana to invite me, but I think our story is over, Flagon."

The blonde bit his lower lip and tapped his index finger on the table, his hand halfway as if he had wanted to hold Levi's. "Are you… are you sure about that, Levi?" He asked, hope still in his voice. "I know I had a moment of weakness, but I know what I want now."

"So do I, Flagon." Levi replied, "And it's not what we had. It's not what we were."

Flagon nodded then, understanding Levi's decline as his final answer. "I see then." He replied, then sighed a shaky breath. "Well, we gave it our best shot, huh?" He smiled.

"We did." Levi agreed. "And thank you, really, for thinking of me during this time of year. I honestly didn't expect to hear from you."

"I didn't think I would be welcome." Flagon confessed. "So when I came by your place and your neighbour said you had gone, I thought I'd ask Zackly where I could find you. I mean, coming out here wasn't that big of an inconvenience since I was already flying to get to my parents' house."

Levi nodded. "Of course." He agreed. "But you should be heading out now anyways, if you want to arrive there by Christmas."

Flagon nodded, then followed Levi's lead as the smaller man stood up. "Can I hug you?" He asked, before opening his arms for Levi to accept or decline.

"Sure." Levi replied. He hugged Flagon, noting how Erwin wouldn't have asked but simply opened his arms in a silent invitation. He missed Erwin's hugs, finding a comfort in them that he hadn't felt in Flagon's. "Take care, Flagon. And merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Levi." Flagon replied.

* * *

Erwin was eager to meet Levi for their dinner date, so he left his house sooner than he should have. He arrived five minutes early to their date and decided to head into the hotel to wait for Levi in the front entrance. He stopped to brush the snow from his boots on the front welcome mat and gazed around, noticing just how busy Thomas and Amelia's hotel had become.

Erwin glanced around the front entrance, searching for Levi. He hoped that the smaller man had finished his article early and had come down to search for him, in the same way that he had come inside to search for Levi. It surprised him when his eyes fell on Levi, since the smaller man was already having dinner with someone else.

Erwin narrowed his eyes and approached the dinning room, intent on asking Levi if he had forgotten about their plans. He had gotten close enough to their table to hear their conversation, which had caused him to remain silent and not interrupt Levi and his date.

"So you're saying you want to get back together? Is that it, Flagon?"

"I can understand if you don't want to right away," Flagon replied, "But perhaps we can start over? Take things slow. You can come over for Christmas and we can just keep it really casual. When you're ready, if you're ready, we can try again."

Erwin heard enough. He turned on his heels and left the hotel. His heart felt as though it had just been pierced with a white-hot poker. He stopped just outside the hotel's doors to catch his breath, exhaling for the first time since he had left the dinning room. He stared at his feet in their brown leather boots and tried to stop the blood rushing to his head.

"It's alright. It's okay." He comforted himself. "You never told him you liked him and now… now he's gonna get back together with his ex."

Erwin frowned. A small part of him stubbornly held onto the hope for a Christmas miracle, and he looked over his shoulder and through the large window of Thomas and Amelia's hotel, gazing into the dinning room. Levi and Flagon had stood up and were embracing each other. From where he stood watching them, Erwin couldn't see Levi's face, but Flagon was smiling.

Erwin crossed his arms across his chest and stomped through the snow towards his SUV. He got in and turned off the radio, then shifted the vehicle into drive. "Stupid, stupid. Stupid for thinking that we could have a chance." He berated himself, letting his foot of the brake and starting on his way back home. "He's just going to go back to Bakersfield, with his ex, and forget all about this stupid small town. Just like how he's supposed to."


	6. Chapter 6

Ratings: T  
Warnings: None

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story: living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

Author's Notes: Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all my readers! Thank you for all of those that favourited/liked/shared/saved/followed this story or left a review; I am eternally grateful to my readers. And as always when it comes to Christmas, a very happy birthday to Levi as well!

* * *

 **Chapter 6: SATURDAY DECEMBER 25th - Christmas Day**

Levi had woken up on Saturday morning feeling like shit. His eyes felt sore and puffy, which he expected since he had cried himself to sleep. As soon as Flagon had released him from his hug, he walked the blonde to the front of the hotel, standing outside the front door and watching his ex-boyfriend head to his rental car and drive away. Levi continued to stand outside, waiting for Erwin to come by as they had planned. He rubbed his hands together in his purple mitten, then began to shift from foot to foot as the snowy air began to chill him as he waited outside.

Five minutes passed, then ten, then fifteen. Levi began to grow worried. He checked his phone every minute, hoping that Erwin hadn't forgotten about their plans. He waited a half an hour before he headed inside to warm up, hoping that Erwin was simply delayed.

His phone had buzzed as soon as he had entered the hotel again, and he eagerly looked over his shoulder to see if Erwin had pulled up and was letting him know he arrived. To his disappointment, no one was there. Levi opened the text message to read,

'Something came up. Sorry. - E.'

"Something came up. Sorry." Levi mumbled to words aloud, surprised by the lack of emotion attached to the message.

He immediately felt as though he had been punched in the gut. He had really felt a connection with Erwin, but now he felt as though he was simply fooling himself. The man whom he had seen as kind, caring, and compassionate, was suddenly cold and aloof. The text message was bleak and final, leaving no opportunity for Levi to respond without panicking.

Thomas had noticed Levi standing in place, staring in shellshocked at his phone. The older man came and put a hand on Levi's shoulder, waking him from his trance. As tears began to spill from Levi's silver eyes, Thomas led him to his room and had Amelia bring Levi a plate of cheese, salami, and Christmas crackers, as well as a hot water bottle. Then he stayed for an hour to keep Levi company, even though they barely spoke.

When Thomas left, Levi replied to Erwin's text message, sending him a casual acceptance of the sudden change of plans. "I hope everything's alright. Take care. See you tomorrow?" He waited for another hour, lying on his bed and staring at the phone screen and waiting for a reply. By the time his eyes were sore, red, and puffy from crying, no replied had come.

Levi reached out to grab his cell phone from the nightstand only to find it wasn't there. He realized that he had slept with it beside him and it must've rolled off the bed, so he got up and stretched his sore limbs. He had grown stiff from having laid down for so long. He searched the floor for his phone, finding it just under the edge of his bed. He eagerly checked it for any new messages, but besides Furlan and Isabella sending him Christmas and birthday wishes, his phone was blank.

Levi frowned. He felt grief flood his entire being and sighed sadly. His looked away from his phone and his eyes immediately fell on the gift he had spent yesterday making for Erwin.

"I should still give him that gift," He mumbled, surprising himself with his bold decision. "Even if he doesn't want it."

'What am I saying? Of course he would want it. He values handmade things, and I made it from the heart.' Levi challenged his own thoughts. He suddenly felt a determination fill his being and he picked up the gift from where it sat on the desk.

He set it down on the bed, then headed to the bathroom to clean up for the day. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, and combed his hair, then returned to gather the gift and leave. He was still wearing his red sweater and dark jeans from yesterday, having been too depressed to change for bed.

No one was at the reception when he passed through the hotel entrance on his way to his rental SUV. The streets were empty and the crunch of snow under his boots resonated louder than usual as he was the only one making noise. Large white snowflakes fell down from the bright sky, just as they had when he had first arrived in Santa Claus. He crossed the parking lot to his vehicle, then climbed in and turned the ignition on.

With determination to see Erwin causing him to feel aflame, Levi took his foot off the brake and let the vehicle reverse out of the parking space before he drove towards Erwin's house. It was a slow drive since Levi was taking extra precautions to avoid black ice that might have been buried under the freshly falling snow. He turned the radio off and the windshield wipers on, their rhythmic whirling noise the only sound in the vehicle besides the loud crunch of snow under the tires.

When he finally did arrive to Erwin's house, Levi was surprised to find Erwin's SUV wasn't parked in the driveway. He frowned, having not considered what he would do if Erwin wasn't home. He hated to think that Erwin would have gone to his ex-girlfriend's house, so he instantly ruled it out as a possibility. He decided that he would try to see if Erwin had gone to his pharmacy, and so he turned the car around and headed towards the pharmacy several blocks away.

When he arrived to the pharmacy, he was met with disappointment. The lights were off, the doors and windows barred, and even the back entrance had been sealed off. Levi had gotten out of the car and knocked several times on the doors, front and back, and attempted to peer in through the windows, but after several minutes he was sure that Erwin hadn't been simply hiding out and avoiding him. The blonde wasn't here.

"Where are you, Erwin?" Levi asked, getting back into the warm SUV. He thought for a minute, calculating his next guess. He didn't want to give up his search just yet. He decided that he would go to check if Erwin had gone to Zacharius' café.

The café was several blocks from Erwin's pharmacy, which made it relatively easy for Levi to get to. A small voice in the back of his mind had warned him that the café wouldn't be open on Christmas either, but Levi was convinced that he had to try. He felt fresh tears threaten to spill from his eyes as he saw the neon 'Open' sign was turned off and the doors and windows of the café were also barred. Levi didn't stop the car and knock the doors this time. He knew that Erwin wasn't there.

Levi pulled over and let several tears escape. With a sob, he leaned his head against the steering wheel and attempted to keep from losing control of his emotion entirely. He sat back up and wiped his eyes, sucking in a shaky breath. "Think," He coached himself, "Where would Erwin be in this small town?"

'Small town.' The words repeated in his head. Inspired, Levi decided that he would head back to the hotel. In a busy city like Bakersfield, Levi was used to working alone. But in a quaint, cozy town like Santa Claus, he was sure that the close-knit community would be able to help him locate the pharmacist.

Levi parked his SUV beside the entrance to the hotel and walked in, determination in his eyes. He was greeted by Thomas, who had been finding spare batteries for a guest to use on his daughter's new toy.

"How are you doing, Levi? We came by to check on you but you were already gone."

"Fine, Thomas. I'm fine. Listen, can you help me? Would you know where I can find Erwin Smith today? I just went by his house, his work, and Mike's café, and he's not at any of them."

"He's not home today?" Thomas replied, "That's odd. Hmm, well, perhaps you can see if he's at Mike or Hanji's places?"

"Do you know their addresses?" Levi asked, keeping his fingers cross that the old innkeeper could help him out.

"Of course," Thomas replied with a wheezy laugh. He pulled out an aged, black contact book from the top drawer of the reception desk and flipped through it. He copied the addresses out of the book and onto a spare piece of paper for Levi, then handed it to him. "I hope you find him, Levi. And if you don't, let me know."

"Thanks Thomas," Levi replied, "I really appreciate it."

With a grin, Levi returned to his SUV. He reached into the glove box and produced the map of Santa Claus that Zackly had given him to find the hotel. He scanned it for the intersection that Mike's house was at, then Hanji's, attempting to determine who's place was closer. He wasn't sure if Erwin would have gone to either's house, or if he had just gone out to the park, so he simply wanted to get to all of them in as quick a time as possible. Since Mike's house was the closest, he put the vehicle into drive and headed towards it.

It was another slow drive. Mike lived a ways from the hotel, but not far enough to give Levi enough time to panic. He breathed a sigh of relief as he turned onto Mike's street and immediately caught sight of Erwin's damaged SUV bumper. He parked behind him, the nose of his own car too close to Erwin's rear bumper to allow the blonde room to back out of his curb-side spot, but Levi didn't care. He grabbed his gift for the pharmacist and headed towards the house he identified as Mike's.

* * *

Erwin had come over to Mike's house after he had returned home and saw the stocking he had purchased for Levi hanging off his mantle. He knew he would not be able to cope sitting all alone at home and he feared his ex, Marie, or even Levi, coming by without warning. He packed a bag, texted Mike, and after a moment of hesitation, took the stocking he had purchased for Levi, and headed to Mike's house. He had slept on the couch, but that had worked out for Mike, as it kept his young son Eren away from the Christmas tree.

Erwin had woken early with the rest of Mike's family. They waited for each other to get cleaned up and brew coffee before they began to open presents. Erwin had remained rather quiet, allowing the morning to pass rather easily for him. Mike was concerned about his friend but didn't push him to speak, giving him time to heal himself before he was bombarded with questions.

Erwin hadn't been able to fully understand his feelings, and so he was grateful for his friend's distance. He contemplated taking the stocking to the hotel and either leaving it at the front desk for Levi or going up to his room and delivering it to him in person. Each time, a voice in the back of his mind asked him what he would do if Levi had checked out and left Santa Claus already? What if he was already on the plane back home with Flagon? Or to wherever his ex would have taken him.

Erwin contemplated having Thomas mail the gift to Levi, but he figured it would be worse than confessing that he had a crush on the smaller man if he sent a delayed Christmas gift to him in Bakersfield. Especially since he would receive it late and Erwin could have given it to him in person the day before.

Erwin felt cheated, and that was what confused him the most. He had finally decided to confess to Levi that he liked him and ask him out on a date, and that was when he had seen him with Flagon. His indecisiveness had cost him his opportunity with Levi and now he was left to regret his inactivity. The cruelest part was the fact that he had robbed himself of any answer from the journalist and now he would never get one.

As Mike continued to open presents with his family, Erwin pulled out his phone and keyword searched for 'Bakersfield, Santa Claus, Christmas article.' When no results came up, he added the name 'Levi' to the search keywords. The first result was titled 'Christmas Miracles Do Exist: An Unforgettable Christmas in Santa Claus, Indiana, by Levi Ackerman.'

Erwin gasped in surprise, then turned away from Mike and his family to begin to read.

'Christmases in California are often warm, sunny, and busy. The lack of snow and increase in holiday traffic actually make California a robust hub of noise and excitement for the holiday season. This makes California the opposite of what a traditional Christmas looks and feel like. Or, rather this makes a Christmas in California the opposite of a Christmas in Santa Claus, Indiana.

'Santa Claus, a town with a population of just a little over two-thousand people, is a beautiful community nestled away in the southwest of the state. Travelling into Santa Claus is a wonderfully tranquil journey, and if you are fortunate to be met with snow as I had been, it is a remarkable experience that appeals to more than just the sense of sight. If you have never travelled in the snow before, like I haven't, it takes some patience, practice, and a lot of bravery to avoid hitting patches of ice and slipping into a snow bank.'

Erwin chuckled, surprised that Levi had put a reference to his accident into his article. He knew Levi was embarrassed by the accident. He felt mixed emotions as he continued reading through it: amused and happy for Levi, but also sad that the smaller man had left without him being able to say a proper goodbye.

'Fortunately for me, a kind man had been salting the walkway outside his storefront when I arrived in town unaware of black ice. He helped guide me out of the snowbank and towards the hotel.'

Erwin froze, unable to scroll further. He hadn't expected Levi to mention the accident, but it was altogether shocking that Levi had mentioned him. While he didn't name Erwin, he had written about their first encounter in his article, causing the blonde's heart to skip a beat.

'The hotel of Thomas and Amelia is a cozy, welcoming home-away-from-home. Rooms are comfortable and homely, the food is delicious and impossible to resist, and the many guests that you will find yourself a part are some of the kindest folk you will ever meet. The owners of the hotel are in likeness to the real Mr. and Mrs. Claus, always at the ready to help with whatever you need and two of the kindest souls you will ever meet.

'When visiting Santa Claus, it was Thomas that had advised me on bundling up for the cold. Sound advice that I am passing on to any travellers that are planning to pay Santa Claus a visit. Hanne's shoe store made for a wonderfully educational experience, as well as one that kept me warm for the duration of my stay in Santa Claus. Their boots made sure to keep me warm and dry, even after spending hours in the snow building my first snowman, with none other than the man who had saved me from the snow bank the morning before.'

Erwin was surprised to find that Levi had even embedded a photo of the snowman they had built together at this point in his article. The journalist had been careful not to put any pictures of Erwin in his article, as he had not asked the blonde's permission. The photo therefore only depicted the snowman itself, but that didn't stop Erwin from feeling a way of warmth and awe at the image.

'My snow-hero also saved me when it came to running errands. Playing in the snow is a joy that brings out the child in all of us, even when we are freezing and our clothes are soaking wet. Having lost track of time, I was unable to complete some shopping for basic gift wrapping supplies, but he stepped in to save me once again, opening his store to me after-hours so that I could complete my tasks for the day. This type of kindness is one-of-a-kind to Santa Claus, and I truly could feel the compassion of the holiday season. Despite being a tourist, I was treated as one of their own in this small, loving community, and I can truly admit that I felt connected to this small town in such a welcoming way.

'Santa Claus also brought me a lot of Christmas firsts that only the atmosphere of a small town could heighten to the pinnacle of the season. I learnt how best to keep a live, seven-foot tall Christmas tree, decorated it, and even put the star on top. I also baked holiday cookies and got to share them with the attendants of the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. This event took place the day before Christmas Eve, in which the town celebrated the season by lighting up the largest Christmas tree I had ever stood beside.'

Erwin was surprised that Levi had included several photos of the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. He scrolled past them, eager to continue reading.

'The ceremony was one of celebration and giving back to the community. All proceeds went to local charities and the delights were irresistible. From warm apple cider to Christmas pudding, handcrafted Christmas ornaments and door-to-door Christmas carollers, every detail in Santa Claus is Christmas perfected.

'And while I love my home in Bakersfield, California, my heart has never experienced a Christmas as fulfilling as this one. Despite the drive in being a learning curve and the cold finding its way to bite you at all hours of the day and night, my experience in Santa Claus has forever engraved the knowledge of Christmas magic in my heart. It's always sad when Christmas is over, but after experiencing a Christmas here, I find it impossible to leave the remarkable town of Santa Claus. If by some miracle I find the way to depart from this winter wonderland, I will definitely be returning for next year's Christmas in Santa Claus.'

Erwin felt a rush of hope run through him. Levi had publicly declared that he didn't want to leave Santa Claus, and that he would return if he did. Erwin scrolled to continue reading, but found that he had reached the end of the article. He sat confused on the sofa, unsure of what to do or say. A part of him wanted to reach out to Levi while another part of him recommended waiting for Levi to return next year. He decided he would text Levi and let him know that he read his article, but just as he opened the text message app on his phone, a knock sounded at the door and caused everyone inside to become silent.

* * *

Levi knocked on the door of Mike's house, feeling slighting intimidated and nervous. He counted in his head as he waited for someone to answer. He wasn't sure what he was going to say to Erwin when he see him again, and he realized now that he didn't have a script prepared.

The door opened when he was beginning to wonder if Mike would remember him from the café. A short blonde lady had answered it, holding a small baby boy on her hip. "Merry Christmas," She greeted Levi, "Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Erwin." Levi replied, suddenly feeling intrusive. "I'm sorry to interrupt-"

"No, don't be." The woman replied, "He's right this way. Please, come inside."

Levi stepped into the house as the women pulled open the door wide. He took off his shoes, noticing the pile beside the door, and then followed the woman into the main family room.

"Hello," Mike nodded and greeted him.

"Hello Mike," Levi greeted him in return. "I'm Lev-"

"Levi, yes. The journalist." Mike cut him off. "I'm Mike, and this is my wife, Nanaba, and my two boys, Eren and Jean."

"Nice to meet you," Levi replied, nodding to Nanaba. "I apologize for just dropping by. I just was looking for Erwin-"

"Don't worry about it," Mike replied, "You came to the right place."

Levi smiled and turned to face Erwin, noticing the look of surprise on the blonde's face. "I, um, I wanted to give you a Christmas present." Levi explained, holding out the roughly wrapped gift.

Erwin's eyes widened and his lips wavered in a shy smile. "Oh, Levi." He whispered, then came to stand by Levi's side in the doorway of the living room. "You shouldn't have."

"I wanted to." Levi replied, "You were so kind to me these last few days. And… well, I just wanted to make sure you would remember me when I go back to Bakersfield."

Erwin accepted the gift and smiled down at Levi. "I would never forget you, Levi." He replied, then began to peel off the gift wrap. He was grinning from ear-to-ear, feeling the joy that Levi had described wonderfully in his Christmas article.

He was surprised to find that under the frumpy wrapping job, he was presented with a snow globe. He lifted the globe to his face so that he could gaze into the little world it surrounded and his eyes widened with surprise. Inside the globe was an exact replica of the snowman he and Levi made. Every detail from the stones they had used, to the exact twigs on the branch-arms, to the pinecone for the nose, had been accurately replicated. And if that wasn't enough, two small figurines flanked the snowman: one a tall blonde and the other a short, dark-haired male wearing purple gloves.

"Levi," Erwin breathed, shaking the globe just enough to watch the white snowflakes and silver and blue sparkles swim around the scene. "Did you-"

"I made it for you." Levi replied, confirming the snow globe was one-of-a-kind. "I made my uncle a snow globe for Christmas a few years ago. After you told me about how your father and you valued handmade things, I wanted to make something special for you."

Erwin's seablue eyes filled with tears of joy and he wrapped his arms around Levi. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. "Thank you, I love it, Levi!"

Levi hugged Erwin back and beamed as he saw the blonde look back to the snow globe and give it a gentle shake again. Then the blonde gave his head a shake and stood upright. "I have something for you too," He explained.

"What?" Levi asked, raising one eyebrow. "Erwin, you shouldn't have." He protested.

"No, no. I had to." Erwin replied, "I wanted to. Here." He turned and placed the snow globe on a high shelf, out of Eren's reach, then retrieved the stocking he had customized with Levi's name in gold across the white trim.

Levi's narrow eyes widened and he laughed softly. "Oh, Erwin." He chuckled, "A stocking to hang by the chimney with care."

Erwin grinned. "I realized we couldn't hang them when we set up the tree because you didn't have one." He explained, "So I figured we'd remedy that as well."

Levi blushed softly and made a small sound of appreciation. He laughed as he pulled the Christmas cookies out the stocking, then gasped in surprised as he pulled out a pair of knit red mittens. "Erwin," He breathed, "You didn't-"

Erwin blushed, smiling warmly at Levi. "I… wanted to make you something too." He replied, "And I couldn't fit a blanket in that stocking."

Levi chuckled, pulling the red mittens on. "I love them, Erwin." He replied.

"You do?" Erwin asked, then bit his lower lip. He hesitated for a moment, then added, "Because I, um, I… I love you, Levi." He sighed heavily, then looked into Levi's eyes. "I really like you and I'd-"

"I love you too, Erwin." Levi replied, throwing his arms around the blonde and hugging him. It was a relief to Levi to finally say those words aloud, but it was nothing compared to having heard that Erwin felt the same about him. He was overwhelmed with happiness.

"I read your article." Erwin began, breaking their but keeping his hands on Levi's, holding his mitten-clad hands.

"You did?" Levi asked, surprised.

"I did." Erwin nodded, "And I… I was so happy that you'd come back here, if you left that is. I thought that you were getting back together with Flagon."

"Flagon?" Levi asked, his expression puzzled. "Why would I- Oh!" His mouth dropped open in surprise and he sighed heavily. "No, Erwin. I- You- That was a big misunderstanding. He asked me to get back together for the holidays, but I told him no. I wanted to stay here and spend Christmas with you. Is that why you cancelled on me yesterday?"

"That was… that was what came up, yeah." Erwin admitted, feeling stupid for letting himself get so carried away with his jealousy of Flagon. "I came by early and saw you were already having dinner. I didn't mean to eavesdrop but I was approaching to ask you about our plans-"

"And you heard the worst part of that conversation." Levi nodded. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to confuse you or stand you up or hurt your feelings."

Erwin shook his head, denying the apology. "No, I'm sorry." He stated, "I shouldn't have run away and assumed things. I should have talked to you about it."

Levi nodded. "I guess we both messed up."

"Yeah," Erwin agreed. He gazed into Levi's eyes and smiled down at the shorter man.

"Hey," Eren called out to them, breaking into Erwin and Levi's cozy silence.

The two men turned to look at Eren, who pointed up at the doorway above their heads. "You're standing under mistletoe." He announced, teasing them. "That means you have to kiss."

Levi blushed and began to chuckled, gazing upwards at the same time that Erwin looked up with a smile on his face as well. Their eyes fell on a small branch of mistletoe that was pinned just above the centre of the doorframe.

Both were too stunned to say anything. The air between them was alive with the energy of their affection for one another. Levi stretched up on his tiptoes as Erwin leaned down, their lips meeting in the middle and pressing against each other's. Levi moaned softly in pleasure, encouraging Erwin to deepen the kiss.

Erwin wrapped his arms around Levi, feeling complete and accepted and loved. He hugged Levi, holding him close and kissing him with passion and acceptance, conveying the same love to him that Levi was presenting to Erwin. They broke apart after a moment, then weakly began to chuckle at the miraculous turn of events that led them to one another despite all the odds.

"Merry Christmas Levi," Erwin smiled, then leaned down so that he was just within Levi's reach.

"Merry Christmas, Erwin." Levi replied, his eyes sparkling with the joy of the Christmas season as he returned the well-wishing to his affection. Then he closed his eyes, stood up on his tiptoes, and kissed Erwin once more under the mistletoe.

\- The End -


End file.
